Are the Cincinnati Bengals the Best Cold-Weather Team in the NFL?

CINCINNATI – Are the Cincinnati Bengals the best cold-weather team in the NFL?

Depending on how you define “cold” and how far back into history you want go, they just might be.

In order to keep the dataset manageable, we used regular season and postseason games from 2000-present that were 30 degrees or colder at kickoff, per the SportRadar database.

The New England Patriots have played the second most cold-weather game, going 33-10 for a league-best .767 winning percentage.

Which team has the second-best winning percentage?

The Bengals, who are 16-8 (.667).

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also have a .667 winning percentage but have only played three games, going 2-1.

Next on the list are the Green Bay Packers at 43-22-1 (.659) and Buffalo Bills at 21-11 (.656).

That means two of the best cold-weather teams are set to meet Sunday afternoon when the Bengals take on the Bills.

And the forecast for Sunday calls for a high temperature of 27 degrees.

It makes sense that teams like the Packers, Patriots and Bills are near the top of the list because they play the most cold-weather games.

Packers 66

Patriots 43

Chiefs 40

Steelers 38

Broncos 34

Bears 34

Bills 32

Not only is playing in that sort of weather more often an advantage, so, too, is playing at home, obviously.

Winning on the road in cold weather is even more impressive.

Among teams who have played at least four road games when it was 30 degrees or colder, which team has the best winning percentage?

The Bengals.

Since 2000, Cincinnati has been 7-4 on the road when it’s 30 degrees or colder.

That’s a .636 winning percentage, which is just ahead of the Patriots (10-6, .625).

The Bengals are 5-1 in their last six, with the lone loss coming in the 2022 AFC Championship Game.

Here is a list of their 11 sub-30 road games since 2000:

Week 18, 2025: Bengals 19, Steelers 17 (19 degrees)

AFC CG, 2022: Chiefs 23, Bengals 20 (22 degrees)

Week 16, 2022: Bengals 22, Patriots 18 (21 degrees)

Week 11, 2022: Bengals 37, Steelers 30 (27 degrees)

Week 17, 2017: Bengals 31, Ravens 27 (19 degrees)

Week 14, 2016: Bengals 23, Browns 10 (28 degrees)

Week 16, 2015: Broncos, Bengals 17, OT (16 degrees)

Week 15, 2013: Steelers 30, Bengals 20 (26 degrees)

Week 17, 2009: Jets 37, Bengals 0 (20 degrees)

Week 16, 2008: Bengals 14, Browns 0 (18 degrees)

Week 13, 2005: Bengals 38, Steelers 31 (30 degrees)

The loss to the Jets was a season finale in which the Bengals rested all of their starters.

So they’re actually 7-3 for a .700 winning percentage in games they were trying to win.

In case you’re wondering, here is the full list of team records in sub-30 games since 2000.

Patriots 33-10 (.767)

Bengals 16-8 (.667)

Buccaneers 2-1 (.667)

Packers 43-22-1 (.659)

Bills 21-11 (.656)

Chiefs 26-14 (.650)

Steelers 24-14 (.632)

Bears 20-14 (.588)

Eagles 8-7 (.533)

Ravens 11-11 (.500)

Texans 4-5 (.444)

Colts 3-4 (.429)

Commanders 3-4 (.429)

Titans 8-11 (.421)

Broncos 14-20 (.412)

Vikings 6-9-1 (.406)

Rams 2-3 (.400)

Panthers 3-5 (.375)

Jets 6-11 (.353)

Saints 2-4 (.333)

Giants 5-10 (.333)

Cowboys 3-6 (.333)

49ers 2-4 (.333)

Raiders 4-9 (.308)

Jaguars 3-7 (.300)

Chargers 2-5 (.286)

Lions 3-8 (.273)

Dolphins 4-13 (.235)

Browns 6-23 (.207)

Seahawks 2-9 (.182)

Falcons 1-7 (.125)

Cardinals 0-1 (.000)

And here are the records in sub-30 road games.

Buccaneers 2-1 (.667)

Eagles 2-1 (.667)

Bengals 7-4 (.636)

Patriots 10-6 (.625)

Commanders 2-2 (.500)

Packers 6-6 (.500)

Steelers 6-6 (.500)

Bears 5-5 (.500)

Chiefs 4-4 (.500)

Bills 3-3 (.500)

Texans 4-5 (.444)

Colts 3-4 (.429)

Titans 5-7 (.417)

Rams 2-3 (.400)

Ravens 6-10 (.375)

Jets 4-7 (.364)

Vikings 3-6-1 (.350)

Saints 2-4 (.333)

49ers 2-4 (.333)

Cowboys 3-6 (.333)

Broncos 4-9 (.308)

Jaguars 3-7 (.300)

Chargers 2-5 (.286)

Lions 3-8 (.273)

Giants 2-6 (.250)

Raiders 3-9 (.250)

Dolphins 4-13 (.235)

Seahawks 2-8 (.200)

Browns 2-10 (.167)

Panthers 1-5 (.167)

Falcons 1-7 (.125)

Cardinals 0-1 (.000)