# 2016 Cincinnati Bengals season

The 2016 season was the Cincinnati Bengals' 47th in the National Football League (NFL), their 49th overall and their 14th under head coach Marvin Lewis. The Bengals regressed from their 12–4 record from 2015, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010, finishing 6–9–1, and finishing in 3rd place in their division. This season would see the Bengals play in London for the first time ever, where they tied the Washington Redskins 27–27.

## Offseason
### Organizational changes

On January 12, 2016, defensive backs coach Vance Joseph was hired as the new defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins. On the same day, linebackers coach Matt Burke also was hired as the new linebackers coach of the Miami Dolphins. On January 13, offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was hired as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns. On January 15, quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese was promoted to offensive coordinator. On the same day, former New Orleans Saints head coach Jim Haslett was hired as the new linebackers coach. On January 18, the Bengals hired former Miami Dolphins assistant coaches Bill Lazor as the new quarterbacks coach, and Kevin Coyle as the new defensive backs coach, as well as hiring Washington Redskins assistant coach Jacob Burney as the new defensive line coach. On January 19, defensive line coach Jay Hayes was hired to be the new defensive line coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

### Contract extensions

On March 4, the Bengals signed wide receiver Brandon Tate to a one-year extension through 2017 worth $1,024,000. On March 7, the Bengals signed center T. J. Johnson to a one-year extension through 2017 worth $600,000. On May 17, the Bengals signed safety Shawn Williams to a four-year extension through 2020 worth $19.5 million. On June 8, the Bengals signed halfback Giovani Benard to a three-year extension through 2019 worth $15.5 million. On August 2, the Bengals signed tight end Ryan Hewitt to a three-year extension through 2019 worth $7.5 million.

### Roster changes
#### Acquisitions
##### Pre-Draft

The first transactions of the year occurred shortly after the conclusion of the 2015 regular season on January 8, when the Bengals signed kicker Zach Hocker, defensive end Dezmond Johnson and safety Floyd Raven to Reserve/Future contracts. On January 11, the Bengals signed wide receiver Michael Bennett and Jake Kumerow, offensive lineman Trey Hopkins, linebacker Jeff Luc and Jayson DiManche, and tight end Matt Lengel to reserve/future contracts. Additionally, the Bengals signed running back Bronson Hill to a reserve/future contract on February 2, and tight end John Peters on February 3. On February 8, the Bengals signed Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Darryl Baldwin and New York Giants cornerback Chykie Brown.
On March 17, the Bengals signed Oakland Raiders safety Taylor Mays. On March 29, 2016, they signed Cleveland Browns linebacker Karlos Dansby. On March 30, the Bengals signed New England Patriots wide receiver Brandon LaFell.

##### Post-Draft

On May 8, the Bengals signed four undrafted free agents: kicker Jonathan Brown (Louisville), linebacker Gionni Paul (Utah), offensive lineman Trip Thurman (Florida), and cornerback Corey Tindal (Marshall). On May 11, the Bengals signed former Louisville offensive lineman Aaron Epps (UDFA). On May 16, the Bengals signed former Buffalo quarterback Joe Licata (UDFA). On May 26, the Bengals signed fullback Andrew Bonnet. On July 26, the Bengals signed former Calgary wide receiver Rashaun Simonise (UDFA). On July 27, the Bengals signed former Nebraska defensive end Jack Gangwish (UDFA). On July 28, the Bengals signed safety Jimmy Wilson.

#### Departures

Of the Bengals' unrestricted free agents, wide receiver Mohamed Sanu signed a 5-year $40 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons on March 11. On the same day, wide receiver Marvin Jones signed a 5-year $40 million contract with the Detroit Lions. On April 6, safety Reggie Nelson signed a 2-year $12 million contract with the Oakland Raiders. On August 4, cornerback Leon Hall signed a one-year $2 million deal with the New York Giants.
On April 26, the Bengals released linebacker A.J. Hawk. On May 11, offensive lineman Darryl Baldwin was released. On May 16, undrafted free agent quarterback Matt Johnson was released. On July 20, undrafted free agent cornerback Corey Tindal was released. On July 26, defensive end Dezmond Johnson and undrafted free agent running back DyShawn Mobley were released.

### 2016 NFL Draft
#### Pre-draft

Prior to the draft, the Bengals held visits for 40 players; 15 had private visits, 5 players visited during the NFL Scouting Combine, 1 met during the Senior Bowl, and 2 at the East–West Shrine Game, 11 had private workouts, while 2 had local visits.

#### Draft

2016 Cincinnati Bengals Draft :
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 24 | William Jackson III | CB | Houston |
| 2 | 55 | Tyler Boyd | WR | Pittsburgh |
| 3 | 87 | Nick Vigil | MLB | Utah State |
| 4 | 122 | Andrew Billings | DT | Baylor |
| 5 | 161 | Christian Westerman | G | Arizona State |
| 6 | 199 | Cody Core | WR | Ole Miss |
| 7 | 245 | Clayton Fejedelem | S | Illinois |

#### Undrafted free agents

After the draft, the Bengals signed the following undrafted free agents.
| Position | Player | College |
| DE | Ryan Brown | Mississippi State |
| RB | Tra Carson | Texas A&M |
| RB | Dy'shawn Mobley | Eastern Kentucky |
| G-C | Alex Cooper | Houston |
| G-C | Alex Redmond | UCLA |
| DT | David Dean | Virginia |
| WR | Alex Erickson | Wisconsin |
| WR | Antwane Grant | Western Kentucky |
| WR | Alonzo Russell | Toledo |
| LB | Darien Harris | Michigan State |
| CB | Darius Hillary | Wisconsin |
| QB | Matt Johnson | Bowling Green |
| T | John Weidenaar | Montana State |
| QB | Joe Licata | Buffalo |
| Source: |||

## Schedule
### Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 12 | Minnesota Vikings | L 16–17 | 0–1 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 18 | at Detroit Lions | W 30–14 | 1–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 3 | August 28 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | L 21–26 | 1–2 | EverBank Field | Recap |
| 4 | September 1 | Indianapolis Colts | L 10–13 | 1–3 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |

### Regular season

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 11 | at New York Jets | W 23–22 | 1–0 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 18 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 16–24 | 1–1 | Heinz Field | Recap |
| 3 | September 25 | Denver Broncos | L 17–29 | 1–2 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | September 29 | Miami Dolphins | W 22–7 | 2–2 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 9 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 14–28 | 2–3 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 16 | at New England Patriots | L 17–35 | 2–4 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | October 23 | Cleveland Browns | W 31–17 | 3–4 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 30 | Washington Redskins | T 27–27 (OT) | 3–4–1 | Wembley Stadium (London) | Recap |
| 9 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 10 | November 14 | at New York Giants | L 20–21 | 3–5–1 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 20 | Buffalo Bills | L 12–16 | 3–6–1 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 27 | at Baltimore Ravens | L 14–19 | 3–7–1 | M&T Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 4 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 32–14 | 4–7–1 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 11 | at Cleveland Browns | W 23–10 | 5–7–1 | FirstEnergy Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 20–24 | 5–8–1 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 24 | at Houston Texans | L 10–12 | 5–9–1 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | January 1 | Baltimore Ravens | W 27–10 | 6–9–1 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: at New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 3 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
| Jets | 7 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 22 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: September 11
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C)
* Game attendance: 78,160
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NYJ – Quincy Enunwa 3-yard pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick (Nick Folk kick), 7:40. Jets 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 4:49.
CIN – Mike Nugent 33-yard field goal, 1:29. Jets 7–3. Drive: 6 plays, 65 yards, 2:13.
Second quarter
CIN – A. J. Green 54-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 11:23. Bengals 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 78 yards, 2:11.
NYJ – Eric Decker 15-yard pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick (kick failed, wide right), 9:38. Jets 13–10. Drive: 5 plays, 39 yards, 1:45.
NYJ – Nick Folk 45-yard field goal, 3:19. Jets 16–10. Drive: 9 plays, 28 yards, 4:42.
CIN – Mike Nugent 21-yard field goal, 0:00. Jets 16–13. Drive: 12 plays, 82 yards, 3:19.
Third quarter
CIN – Jeremy Hill 12-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 3:09. Bengals 20–16. Drive: 9 plays, 92 yards, 4:09.
Fourth quarter
NYJ – Nick Folk 20-yard field goal, 11:26. Bengals 20–19. Drive: 12 plays, 73 yards, 6:43.
NYJ – Nick Folk 23-yard field goal, 3:23. Jets 22–20. Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 5:39.
CIN – Mike Nugent 47-yard field goal, 0:54. Bengals 23–22. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 2:29.
Top passers
CIN – Andy Dalton – 23/30, 366 yards, TD, INT
NYJ – Ryan Fitzpatrick – 19/35, 189 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
CIN – Jeremy Hill – 9 rushes, 31 yards, TD
NYJ – Matt Forte – 22 rushes, 96 yards
Top receivers
CIN – A. J. Green – 12 receptions, 180 yards, TD
NYJ – Matt Forte – 5 receptions, 59 yards :
In a hard fought affair, Andy Dalton threw for 366 yards and a touchdown, but was sacked a career-high seven times. A. J. Green finished the game with 12 receptions for 180 yards plus a touchdown. The Bengals trailed by one with just over three minutes left in the game, but Dalton completed all four of his passes for 33 yards to set up Mike Nugent's go-ahead field goal with 54 seconds remaining. Three plays into the ensuing Jets' drive, Bengals' defensive back Josh Shaw recorded his first interception, picking off Ryan Fitzpatrick on a 3rd and 10 to seal a third straight season-opening victory for Cincinnati as they started 1–0. They also snapped a 9-game road losing streak to the Jets.

#### Week 2: at Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 16 |
| Steelers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Date: September 18
* Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT
* Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 65,072
* Referee: Pete Morelli
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
PIT – Xavier Grimble 20-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Chris Boswell kick), 3:46. Steelers 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 66 yards, 1:43.
CIN – Mike Nugent 25-yard field goal, 0:23. Steelers 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 3:23.
Second quarter
PIT – Chris Boswell 49-yard field goal, 4:10. Steelers 10–3. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:55.
CIN – Mike Nugent 33-yard field goal, 0:00. Steelers 10–6. Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 0:48.
Third quarter
PIT – Jesse James 9-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Chris Boswell kick), 6:16. Steelers 17–6. Drive: 7 plays, 91 yards, 3:20.
CIN – Mike Nugent 21-yard field goal, 2:10. Steelers 17–9. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 4:06.
Fourth quarter
PIT – DeAngelo Williams 4-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Chris Boswell kick), 6:48. Steelers 24–9. Drive: 12 plays, 68 yards, 6:54.
CIN – Giovani Bernard 25-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 3:25. Steelers 24–16. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:23.
Top passers
CIN – Andy Dalton – 31/54, 366 yards, TD
PIT – Ben Roethlisberger – 19/37, 259 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
CIN – Jeremy Hill – 11 rushes, 22 yards
PIT – DeAngelo Williams – 32 rushes, 94 yards
Top receivers
CIN – Giovani Bernard – 9 receptions, 100 yards, TD
PIT – Sammie Coates – 2 receptions, 97 yards :
On a rain-soaked Heinz Field, the Bengals' offense struggled to get much going against the Steelers. All three of the Bengals' red zone trips resulted in Mike Nugent field goals, while Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw three touchdowns. With just under seven minutes left in the game, Roethlisberger tossed a four-yard touchdown to running back DeAngelo Williams that gave Pittsburgh a 24–9 lead. The Bengals responded, however, as Andy Dalton drove Cincinnati to a quick score, finding Giovani Bernard on a 25-yard touchdown to make it 24–16. Trying to tie the game, Cincinnati drove to the Steelers' 39-yard line with two minutes left in the game, but rookie receiver Tyler Boyd's fumble sealed a Bengals loss. It appeared Boyd 's knee was down before he lost control of the ball on a hit by James Harrison, but upon review, the call stood and the Bengals dropped to 1–1. Dalton threw for 366 yards for the second straight week, giving him the NFL lead in passing yards (732) through two weeks.

#### Week 3: vs. Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Broncos | 3 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 29 |
| Bengals | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: September 25
* Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT
* Game weather: 81 °F (27 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 63,850
* Referee: John Parry
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Jeremy Hill 3-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 11:07. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 74 yards, 2:50.
DEN – Brandon McManus 20-yard field goal, 4:05. Bengals 7–3. Drive: 14 plays, 73 yards, 7:02.
Second quarter
DEN – Emmanuel Sanders 41-yard pass from Trevor Siemian (Brandon McManus kick), 13:57. Broncos 10–7. Drive: 3 plays, 46 yards, 1:03.
CIN – Jeremy Hill 4-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 4:57. Bengals 14–10. Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 3:36.
DEN – Emmanuel Sanders 7-yard pass from Trevor Siemian (kick blocked), 0:28. Broncos 16–14. Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 4:29.
Third quarter
No scoring plays
Fourth quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 34-yard field goal, 14:52. Bengals 17–16. Drive: 15 plays, 60 yards, 8:18.
DEN – John Phillips 1-yard pass from Trevor Siemian (run failed), 6:56. Broncos 22–17. Drive: 13 plays, 82 yards, 7:56.
DEN – Demaryius Thomas 55-yard pass from Trevor Siemian (Brandon McManus kick), 4:23. Broncos 29–17. Drive: 4 plays, 83 yards, 1:39.
Top passers
DEN – Trevor Siemian – 23/35, 312 yards, 4 TD
CIN – Andy Dalton – 21/31, 206 yards, INT
Top rushers
DEN – C. J. Anderson – 14 rushes, 37 yards
CIN – Jeremy Hill – 17 rushes, 97 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
DEN – Emmanuel Sanders – 9 receptions, 117 yards, 2 TD
CIN – A. J. Green – 8 receptions, 77 yards :
Hosting the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos, Andy Dalton's 300-yard streak was stopped, throwing for just 206 yards. It was also his second straight game in which he did not throw a touchdown pass. With the loss, the Bengals dropped to 1–2 and third place in the AFC North.

#### Week 4: vs. Miami Dolphins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Bengals | 10 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 22 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: September 29
* Game time: 8:25 pm. EDT
* Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C), mostly cloudy
* Game attendance: 60,834
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (NFLN): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 42-yard field goal, 9:51. Bengals 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 54 yards, 5:09.
MIA – Kenny Stills 74-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Andrew Franks kick), 9:04. Dolphins 7–3. Drive: 2 plays, 81 yards, 0:47.
CIN – A. J. Green 7-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 3:19. Bengals 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 90 yards, 3:24.
Second quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 22-yard field goal, 4:12. Bengals 13–7. Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 8:25.
CIN – Mike Nugent 43-yard field goal, 1:06. Bengals 16–7. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:01.
Third quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 22-yard field goal, 6:09. Bengals 19–7. Drive: 9 plays, 85 yards, 4:16.
Fourth quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 47-yard field goal, 13:30. Bengals 22–7. Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 5:25.
Top passers
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 15/25, 189 yards, TD, INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 22/31, 296 yards, TD
Top rushers
MIA – Jay Ajayi – 6 rushes, 33 yards
CIN – Jeremy Hill – 21 rushes, 71 yards
Top receivers
MIA – Kenny Stills – 1 reception, 74 yards, TD
CIN – A. J. Green – 10 receptions, 173 yards, TD :
The Bengals wore white and black Color Rush uniforms for this game. With the win, the Bengals improved to 2–2.

#### Week 5: at Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: October 9
* Game time: 4:25 pm. EDT/3:25 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 91,653
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 13-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 11:09. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 3:51.
Second quarter
DAL – Dak Prescott 5-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 14:43. Cowboys 14–0. Drive: 11 plays, 89 yards, 6:33.
DAL – Cole Beasley 14-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 4:09. Cowboys 21–0. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:38.
Third quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 60-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 11:38. Cowboys 28–0. Drive: 1 play, 60 yards, 0:09.
Fourth quarter
CIN – Brandon LaFell 7-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 10:10. Cowboys 28–7. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 5:13.
CIN – Brandon LaFell 5-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 2:39. Cowboys 28–14. Drive: 12 plays, 77 yards, 5:03.
Top passers
CIN – Andy Dalton – 29/41, 269 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Dak Prescott – 18/24, 227 yards, TD
Top rushers
CIN – Giovani Bernard – 9 rushes, 50 yards
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 15 rushes, 134 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
CIN – Brandon LaFell – 8 receptions, 68 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Terrance Williams – 5 receptions, 70 yards :
With the loss, the Bengals dropped to 2–3.

#### Week 6: at New England Patriots

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 17 |
| Patriots | 3 | 7 | 15 | 10 | 35 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: October 16
* Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT
* Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 66,829
* Referee: Ronald Torbert
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Stephen Gostkowski 46-yard field goal, 12:06. Patriots 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 47 yards, 2:54.
Second quarter
CIN – Andy Dalton 2-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 3:10. Bengals 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 3:26.
NE – James White 15-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 1:01. Patriots 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:09.
Third quarter
CIN – Brandon LaFell 5-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 11:14. Bengals 14–10. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:46.
NE – Andy Dalton sacked by Dont'a Hightower for a safety, 7:05. Bengals 14–12.
NE – Rob Gronkowski 4-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 5:00. Patriots 19–14. Drive: 5 plays, 68 yards, 2:05.
NE – James White 4-yard pass from Tom Brady (kick failed, wide left), 2:58. Patriots 25–14. Drive: 4 plays, 53 yards, 1:35.
Fourth quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 25-yard field goal, 12:34. Patriots 25–17. Drive: 12 plays, 68 yards, 5:24.
NE – Stephen Gostkowski 31-yard field goal, 6:04. Patriots 28–17. Drive: 12 plays, 62 yards, 6:30.
NE – LeGarrette Blount 1-yard run (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 0:57. Patriots 35–17. Drive: 9 plays, 50 yards, 2:35.
Top passers
CIN – Andy Dalton – 21/31, 254 yards, TD
NE – Tom Brady – 29/35, 376 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
CIN – Giovani Bernard – 15 rushes, 49 yards
NE – LeGarrette Blount – 13 rushes, 50 yards, TD
Top receivers
CIN – A. J. Green – 6 receptions, 88 yards
NE – Rob Gronkowski – 7 receptions, 162 yards, TD :
Newly acquired Brandon LaFell returned to New England for the first time after leaving the Patriots in the offseason. With the loss, the Bengals dropped to 2–4.

#### Week 7: vs. Cleveland Browns

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Bengals | 7 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 31 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: October 23
* Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT
* Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 65,047
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, Steve Beuerlein and Steve Tasker
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Giovani Bernard 5-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 12:14. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:46.
Second quarter
CLE – Cody Parkey 28-yard field goal, 13:26. Bengals 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 5:16.
CLE – Isaiah Crowell 1-yard run (Cody Parkey kick), 6:20. Browns 10–7. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 5:39.
CIN – Brandon LaFell 44-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 4:09. Bengals 14–10. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:11.
CIN – A. J. Green 48-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 0:00. Bengals 21–10. Drive: 7 plays, 85 yards, 1:03.
Third quarter
CLE – Kevin Hogan 28-yard run (Cody Parkey kick), 10:43. Bengals 21–17. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:17.
CIN – Jeremy Hill 74-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 9:47. Bengals 28–17. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:56.
CIN – Mike Nugent 36-yard field goal, 4:19. Bengals 31–17. Drive: 7 plays, 66 yards, 3:16.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays
Top passers
CLE – Kevin Hogan – 12/24, 100 yards, 2 INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 19/28, 308 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
CLE – Kevin Hogan – 7 rushes, 104 yards, TD
CIN – Jeremy Hill – 9 rushes, 168 yards, TD
Top receivers
CLE – Gary Barnidge – 6 receptions, 66 yards
CIN – A. J. Green – 8 receptions, 169 yards, TD :
With their fourth straight win over the Browns, the Bengals improved to 3–4. With the Ravens' loss to the Jets, the Bengals moved into a tie for second in the AFC North.

#### Week 8: vs. Washington Redskins

NFL International Series
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Redskins | 7 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 27 |
| Bengals | 7 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 27 |
at Wembley Stadium, London, United Kingdom
* Date: October 30
* Game time: 1:30 p.m. BST/9:30 am. EDT
* Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 84,488
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
WAS – Robert Kelley 4-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 7:38. Redskins 7–0. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 7:22.
CIN – Giovani Bernard 8-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 3:51. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 36 yards, 3:47.
Second quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 20-yard field goal, 8:16. Redskins 10–7. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:04.
Third quarter
CIN – Tyler Eifert 15-yard pass from Andy Dalton (kick failed, wide left), 10:42. Bengals 13–10. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:18.
CIN – Andy Dalton 1-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 5:15. Bengals 20–10. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 3:58.
WAS – Jordan Reed 23-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dustin Hopkins kick), 3:02. Bengals 20–17. Drive: 5 plays, 91 yards, 2:13.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Jamison Crowder 33-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dustin Hopkins kick), 9:30. Redskins 24–20. Drive: 7 plays, 83 yards, 4:18.
CIN – Jeremy Hill 1-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 6:54. Bengals 27–24. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:36.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 40-yard field goal, 1:07. Tied 27–27. Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 2:08.
Overtime
No scoring plays
Top passers
WAS – Kirk Cousins – 38/56, 458 yards, 2 TD, INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 27/42, 284 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
WAS – Robert Kelley – 21 rushes, 87 yards, TD
CIN – Jeremy Hill – 20 rushes, 76 yards, TD
Top receivers
WAS – Jamison Crowder – 9 receptions, 107 yards, TD
CIN – A. J. Green – 9 receptions, 121 yards :
The Bengals hosted the Washington Redskins in London between a shootout between Kirk Cousins and Andy Dalton. Unfortunately, the Bengals could not score in overtime nor the Redskins and thus allowed a tie for the third time in 10 years and first tie since tying with the Carolina Panthers 37–37 in 2014, leaving their record at 3–4–1.

#### Week 10: at New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 7 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
| Giants | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: November 14
* Game time: 8:30 pm. EST
* Game weather: 56 °F (13 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 76,218
* Referee: John Parry
* TV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NYG – Jerell Adams 10-yard pass from Eli Manning (Robbie Gould kick), 11:05. Giants 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:55.
CIN – A. J. Green 13-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 8:58. Tied 7–7. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 2:07.
Second quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 25-yard field goal, 4:19. Bengals 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 0:54.
NYG – Odell Beckham Jr. 10-yard pass from Eli Manning (Robbie Gould kick), 1:17. Giants 14–10. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:02.
Third quarter
CIN – Jeremy Hill 9-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 13:58. Bengals 17–14. Drive: 2 plays, 13 yards, 1:02.
CIN – Mike Nugent 38-yard field goal, 8:52. Bengals 20–14. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 3:33.
Fourth quarter
NYG – Sterling Shepard 3-yard pass from Eli Manning (Robbie Gould kick), 14:05. Giants 21–20. Drive: 7 plays, 47 yards, 2:51.
Top passers
CIN – Andy Dalton – 16/29, 204 yards, TD, INT
NYG – Eli Manning – 28/44, 240 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
CIN – Jeremy Hill – 15 rushes, 46 yards, TD
NYG – Rashad Jennings – 15 rushes, 87 yards
Top receivers
CIN – Tyler Eifert – 3 receptions, 96 yards
NYG – Odell Beckham Jr. – 10 receptions, 97 yards, TD :
With the loss, the Bengals fell to 3–5–1. They also fell to 0–4 all time against the Giants on the road.

#### Week 11: vs. Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
| Bengals | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: November 20
* Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
* Game weather: 36 °F (2 °C), partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 61,356
* Referee: Terry McAulay
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Chris Spielman and Peter Schrager
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
BUF – LeSean McCoy 7-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), 8:52. Bills 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:23.
CIN – Andy Dalton 2-yard run (kick failed, hit right upright), 2:34. Bills 7–6. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 6:18.
Second quarter
BUF – Dan Carpenter 26-yard field goal, 9:03. Bills 10–6. Drive: 4 plays, −5 yards, 2:05.
CIN – Tyler Boyd 1-yard pass from Andy Dalton (kick failed, hit right upright), 3:10. Bengals 12–10. Drive: 13 plays, 66 yards, 5:53.
Third quarter
BUF – Dan Carpenter 54-yard field goal, 10:25. Bills 13–12. Drive: 8 plays, 32 yards, 4:35.
Fourth quarter
BUF – Dan Carpenter 20-yard field goal, 12:05. Bills 16–12. Drive: 15 plays, 88 yards, 8:12.
Top passers
BUF – Tyrod Taylor – 19/27, 166 yards, INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 24/43, 207 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
BUF – Mike Gillislee – 14 rushes, 72 yards
CIN – Jeremy Hill – 16 rushes, 62 yards
Top receivers
BUF – Brandon Tate – 2 receptions, 48 yards
CIN – Tyler Boyd – 6 receptions, 54 yards, TD :
Not only did the Bengals lose 16–12 and drop to 3–6–1, but lost star wide receiver A. J. Green to a pulled hamstring in the first quarter.

#### Week 12: at Baltimore Ravens

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 14 |
| Ravens | 10 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 19 |
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
* Date: November 27
* Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
* Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 70,903
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
BAL – Breshad Perriman 14-yard pass from Joe Flacco (Justin Tucker kick), 10:15. Ravens 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:45.
BAL – Justin Tucker 52-yard field goal, 5:39. Ravens 10–0. Drive: 7 plays, 2 yards, 2:41.
Second quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 23-yard field goal, 14:50. Ravens 10–3. Drive: 14 plays, 69 yards, 5:49.
BAL – Justin Tucker 57-yard field goal, 1:40. Ravens 13–3. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 2:55.
BAL – Justin Tucker 54-yard field goal, 0:00. Ravens 16–3. Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 1:01.
Third quarter
CIN – Tyler Eifert 3-yard pass from Andy Dalton (kick failed, wide right), 4:16. Ravens 16–9. Drive: 11 plays, 86 yards, 4:58.
Fourth quarter
BAL – Justin Tucker 36-yard field goal, 12:16. Ravens 19–9. Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 7:00.
CIN – Mike Nugent 36-yard field goal, 6:00. Ravens 19–12. Drive: 9 plays, 35 yards, 2:50.
CIN – Sam Koch out of bounds in end zone for a safety, 0:00. Ravens 19–14.
Top passers
CIN – Andy Dalton – 26/48, 283 yards, TD
BAL – Joe Flacco – 25/36, 234 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
CIN – Rex Burkhead – 5 rushes, 29 yards
BAL – Kenneth Dixon – 13 rushes, 49 yards
Top receivers
CIN – Tyler Eifert – 5 receptions, 68 yards, TD
BAL – Mike Wallace – 3 receptions, 57 yards :
With the loss, the Bengals fell to 3–7–1. Also, their 5-game winning streak against the Ravens was snapped.

#### Week 13: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Bengals | 10 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 32 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: December 4
* Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
* Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 55,456
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis and Peter Schrager
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 32-yard field goal, 10:22. Bengals 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 39 yards, 3:43.
CIN – Jeremy Hill 2-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 1:32. Bengals 10–0. Drive: 8 plays, 81 yards, 4:12.
Second quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 33-yard field goal, 6:23. Bengals 13–0. Drive: 7 plays, 44 yards, 2:46.
CIN – Tyler Eifert 13-yard pass from Andy Dalton (kick failed, wide right), 0:07. Bengals 19–0. Drive: 12 plays, 93 yards, 3:07.
Third quarter
CIN – Brandon LaFell 8-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 11:21. Bengals 26–0. Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 3:39.
CIN – Mike Nugent 26-yard field goal, 4:07. Bengals 29–0. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 4:53.
PHI – Zach Ertz 13-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Caleb Sturgis kick), 2:30. Bengals 29–7. Drive: 6 plays, 38 yards, 1:37.
Fourth quarter
PHI – Darren Sproles 2-yard run (Caleb Sturgis kick), 6:53. Bengals 29–14. Drive: 15 plays, 61 yards, 6:04.
CIN – Mike Nugent 38-yard field goal, 2:50. Bengals 32–14. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 1:02.
Top passers
PHI – Carson Wentz – 36/60, 308 yards, TD, 3 INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 23/31, 332 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
PHI – Wendell Smallwood – 8 rushes, 19 yards
CIN – Rex Burkhead – 8 rushes, 38 yards
Top receivers
PHI – Paul Turner – 6 receptions, 80 yards
CIN – Brandon LaFell – 5 receptions, 95 yards, TD :
With the win, the Bengals improved to 4–7–1. They also improved to 4–0–1 all time at home against Philadelphia.

#### Week 14: at Cleveland Browns

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 13 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
| Browns | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: December 11
* Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
* Game weather: 28 °F (−2 °C), snow
* Game attendance: 60,028
* Referee: Gene Steratore
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, Steve Beuerlein and Steve Tasker
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Tyler Eifert 14-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 12:21. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 73 yards, 2:39.
CIN – Jeremy Hill 1-yard run (kick short), 6:27. Bengals 13–0. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 4:49.
Second quarter
CIN – Tyler Eifert 5-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 5:06. Bengals 20–0. Drive: 5 plays, 26 yards, 2:37.
Third quarter
CLE – Robert Griffin III 1-yard run (Cody Parkey kick), 8:11. Bengals 20–7. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:40.
Fourth quarter
CLE – Cody Parkey 30-yard field goal, 14:14. Bengals 20–10. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 4:06.
CIN – Mike Nugent 44-yard field goal, 8:38. Bengals 23–10. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 5:36.
Top passers
CIN – Andy Dalton – 20/28, 180 yards, 2 TD
CLE – Robert Griffin III – 12/28, 104 yards, INT
Top rushers
CIN – Jeremy Hill – 25 rushes, 111 yards, TD
CLE – Isaiah Crowell – 10 rushes, 113 yards
Top receivers
CIN – Tyler Boyd – 6 receptions, 49 yards
CLE – Gary Barnidge – 3 receptions, 27 yards :
With the win, the Bengals improved to 5–7–1, and are still in playoff contention.

#### Week 15: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 3 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 24 |
| Bengals | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: December 18
* Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
* Game weather: 24 °F (−4 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 62,096
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Randy Bullock 23-yard field goal, 7:39. Bengals 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 70 yards, 7:21.
PIT – Chris Boswell 45-yard field goal, 3:42. Tied 3–3. Drive: 7 plays, 28 yards, 3:57.
CIN – Andy Dalton 1-yard run (Randy Bullock kick), 0:00. Bengals 10–3. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 3:42.
Second quarter
CIN – Jeremy Hill 4-yard run (Randy Bullock kick), 9:02. Bengals 17–3. Drive: 10 plays, 82 yards, 4:16.
PIT – Chris Boswell 49-yard field goal, 5:25. Bengals 17–6. Drive: 8 plays, 50 yards, 3:37.
CIN – Randy Bullock 22-yard field goal, 2:51. Bengals 20–6. Drive: 7 plays, 22 yards, 2:34.
PIT – Chris Boswell 49-yard field goal, 0:06. Bengals 20–9. Drive: 11 plays, 54 yards, 2:45.
Third quarter
PIT – Chris Boswell 40-yard field goal, 10:38. Bengals 20–12. Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards, 4:22.
PIT – Chris Boswell 49-yard field goal, 2:05. Bengals 20–15. Drive: 9 plays, 39 yards, 4:18.
Fourth quarter
PIT – Chris Boswell 30-yard field goal, 12:25. Bengals 20–18. Drive: 6 plays, 22 yards, 2:36.
PIT – Eli Rogers 24-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (pass failed), 7:29. Steelers 24–20. Drive: 5 plays, 69 yards, 3:22.
Top passers
PIT – Ben Roethlisberger – 21/36, 286 yards, TD
CIN – Andy Dalton – 16/27, 157 yards, INT
Top rushers
PIT – Le'Veon Bell – 23 rushes, 93 yards
CIN – Jeremy Hill – 20 rushes, 43 yards, TD
Top receivers
PIT – Eli Rogers – 5 receptions, 75 yards, TD
CIN – Brandon LaFell – 7 receptions, 91 yards :
With their fourth straight loss to the Steelers, the Bengals fell to 5–8–1. The game was just a few moments away from wrapping up when the Baltimore Ravens beat the Philadelphia Eagles 28-27. As a result, the Cincinnati Bengals were eliminated from playoff contention no matter the outcome. The Bengals were condemned to their first losing season since 2010.

#### Week 16: at Houston Texans

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Texans | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 12 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: December 24
* Game time: 8:25 pm. EST/7:25 pm. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 71,836
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (NFLN): Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays
Second quarter
CIN – Randy Bullock 43-yard field goal, 0:00. Bengals 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 67 yards, 4:58.
Third quarter
HOU – Nick Novak 25-yard field goal, 9:05. Tied 3–3. Drive: 11 plays, 68 yards, 5:55.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Nick Novak 22-yard field goal, 13:31. Texans 6–3. Drive: 12 plays, 71 yards, 6:34.
CIN – Brandon LaFell 86-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Randy Bullock kick), 10:45. Bengals 10–6. Drive: 3 plays, 91 yards, 0:55.
HOU – Alfred Blue 24-yard run (kick blocked), 8:41. Texans 12–10. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:04.
Top passers
CIN – Andy Dalton – 28/41, 268 yards, TD, INT
HOU – Tom Savage – 18/29, 176 yards
Top rushers
CIN – Rex Burkhead – 12 rushes, 42 yards
HOU – Alfred Blue – 21 rushes, 73 yards, TD
Top receivers
CIN – Brandon LaFell – 6 receptions, 130 yards, TD
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins – 3 receptions, 43 yards :
As time expired, Randy Bullock missed the game-winning field goal sending the Bengals to 5–9–1. Dalton also set a new career-high of losses in a single season.

#### Week 17: vs. Baltimore Ravens

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ravens | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Bengals | 14 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 27 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: January 1, 2017
* Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
* Game weather: 40 °F (4 °C), partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 54,944
* Referee: Pete Morelli
* TV announcers (CBS): Carter Blackburn and Chris Simms
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Rex Burkhead 5-yard run (Randy Bullock kick), 10:17. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 3:49.
BAL – Justin Tucker 30-yard field goal, 3:12. Bengals 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 63 yards, 7:05.
CIN – C. J. Uzomah 1-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Randy Bullock kick), 0:00. Bengals 14–3. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 3:12.
Second quarter
CIN – Randy Bullock 23-yard field goal, 6:09. Bengals 17–3. Drive: 12 plays, 77 yards, 4:57.
CIN – Randy Bullock 24-yard field goal, 0:03. Bengals 20–3. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 2:25.
Third quarter
No scoring plays
Fourth quarter
BAL – Kenneth Dixon 1-yard run (Justin Tucker kick), 8:37. Bengals 20–10. Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 3:12.
CIN – Rex Burkhead 5-yard run (Randy Bullock kick), 2:20. Bengals 27–10. Drive: 6 plays, 25 yards, 2:24.
Top passers
BAL – Joe Flacco – 32/49, 267 yards, INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 18/28, 226 yards, TD
Top rushers
BAL – Kenneth Dixon – 10 rushes, 44 yards, TD
CIN – Rex Burkhead – 27 rushes, 119 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
BAL – Dennis Pitta – 11 receptions, 91 yards
CIN – Cody Core – 4 receptions, 82 yards :
With their 6th win over Baltitmore in 7 games, the Bengals ended their season at 6–9–1.

## Standings
### Division

AFC North :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(3)}$ Pittsburgh Steelers | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | 399 | 327 | W7 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 343 | 321 | L2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 6 | 9 | 1 | .406 | 3–3 | 5–7 | 325 | 315 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 1 | 15 | 0 | .063 | 0–6 | 1–11 | 264 | 452 | L1 |

### Conference

AFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | New England Patriots | East | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 5–1 | 11–1 | .439 | .424 | W7 |
| 2 | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 6–0 | 9–3 | .508 | .479 | W2 |
| 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .494 | .423 | W7 |
| 4 | Houston Texans | South | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .502 | .427 | L1 |
| Wild Cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Oakland Raiders | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 3–3 | 9–3 | .504 | .443 | L1 |
| 6 | Miami Dolphins | East | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .455 | .341 | L1 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 7 | Tennessee Titans | South | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .465 | .458 | W1 |
| 8 | Denver Broncos | West | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .549 | .455 | W1 |
| 9 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .498 | .363 | L2 |
| 10 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .492 | .406 | W1 |
| 11 | Buffalo Bills | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .482 | .339 | L2 |
| 12 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 6 | 9 | 1 | .406 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .521 | .333 | W1 |
| 13 | New York Jets | East | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .518 | .313 | W1 |
| 14 | San Diego Chargers | West | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .543 | .513 | L5 |
| 15 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 2–4 | 2–10 | .527 | .417 | L1 |
| 16 | Cleveland Browns | North | 1 | 15 | 0 | .063 | 0–6 | 1–11 | .549 | .313 | L1 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 Kansas City clinched the AFC West division over Oakland based on head-to-head sweep. 1 2 Houston clinched the AFC South division title over Tennessee based on record vs. division opponents. 1 2 Tennessee finished ahead of Denver based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 Baltimore finished ahead of Indianapolis based on record vs. conference opponents. 1 2 The New York Jets finished ahead of San Diego based record vs. common opponents — the Jets' cumulative record against Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Miami was 1–4, while San Diego's cumulative record against the same four teams was 0–5. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division. ||||||||||||