Bengals could leave Cowboys and Browns in the dust by ending this playoff drought against Titans
Fri, Jan 21, 2022
NFL News (AP)
After ending the NFL's longest drought without a playoff win last week, the Cincinnati Bengals have a chance to end another postseason drought this week and this one dates all the way back to 1988.
If the Bengals can beat the Titans in the divisional round of the playoffs on Saturday, it would mark the first time since the 1988 season that Cincinnati has advanced to the AFC Championship game. The 33-year drought for the Bengals is currently the longest any team has gone without making it to a conference title game.
In a twist, the Bengals could actually end up facing the same team they played in the AFC title game back in 1988. Thirty-three years ago, the Bengals beat the Seahawks in the divisional round before hosting the Bills in the AFC Championship in a game Cincinnati would win 21-10 to advance to Super Bowl XXIII.
The Bengals have only made it to the AFC title game a total of two times in franchise history (1981, 1988) and both of those games were played at home. If they advance this year, they'd have to hit the road to play either Kansas City or Buffalo.
Of course, if the Bengals want to get to the AFC title game, they'll have to do something they've never done in franchise history: Win a playoff game on the road. Since the team was founded in 1968, they've gone 0-7 in road playoff games.
Overall, the Bengals are one of just six teams that has yet to play in a conference title game this century. The only other teams that haven't played in at least one conference title game since 2000 are the Cowboys, Dolphins, Browns, Lions and Washington.
The Cowboys had a chance to end their 26-season drought this year, but they came up well short after losing to the 49ers in the wild-card round. If the Bengals win, they would also pass the baton for most years without a conference title game appearance to the Browns, who haven't been to the AFC Championship since 1989.
Here's a look at how long it's been for the six teams with the longest conference title game droughts along with the last time they made it:
| Team | Last Conference title game | Drought |
|---|---|---|
Bengals | 1988 AFC Championship (Beat Bills 21-10) | 32 seasons |
Browns | 1989 AFC Championship (Lost 37-21 to Broncos) | 29 seasons |
Detroit | 1991 NFC Championship (Lost 41-10 to Washington) | 30 seasons |
Washington | 1991 NFC Championship (Beat Lions 41-10) | 30 seasons |
Dolphins | 1992 AFC Championship (Lost 29-10 to Bills) | 29 seasons |
Cowboys | 1995 NFC Championship (Beat Packers 38-27) | 26 seasons |
Note: Cleveland's drought is technically shorter than the Lions and Washington because the Browns didn't have a team from 1996-98, so it's a 32-year drought, but only 29 seasons.
