How The Bengals Got Here — And How We Fix It

In this episode of 4th & Whodey, we take a clear, honest look at how the Bengals have arrived at their current position — a far cry from the team that reached back-to-back AFC Championship Games. Following a difficult loss to the Buffalo Bills, it has become necessary to evaluate not just the outcome of one game, but the trajectory of the organization as a whole.

We examine the major factors contributing to the Bengals’ decline this season:
🐅 Structural issues on both sides of the ball — breakdowns in defensive consistency, challenges in offensive identity, and the absence of complementary football.
📉 Roster composition and depth concerns — where injuries have exposed thin position groups, and where regression has impacted key units.
🧩 Coaching adjustments and scheme questions — what’s changed since the team’s peak, and where the system no longer aligns with the personnel.
⏳ Execution and leadership moments — the plays, drives, and decisions that have redefined the Bengals’ season.

More importantly, we outline what must occur for Cincinnati to return to the level of football they established from 2021–2022. That includes philosophical shifts, personnel decisions, and strategic recalibration that would allow the Bengals to re-establish themselves as legitimate contenders in the AFC.

This isn’t reactionary — it’s a forward-looking assessment grounded in what the film, the numbers, and the week-to-week performance patterns actually tell us. The path back exists, but it requires clarity, accountability, and solutions rooted in football reality rather than emotion.

👇 Let me know in the comments:
What is the primary issue holding the Bengals back this season?

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