Bengals in Jeopardy of Setting Dubious Franchise Record for Futility Tonight vs Steelers

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals have a chance to break a dubious franchise record for offensive futility tonight against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Bengals have gone four consecutive games without scoring an offensive touchdown in the first half, tying a franchise record that has occurred three other times.

Two of the other instances have been recent, happening in Weeks 1-4 in 2023 (during Joe Burrow's calf injury), and Weeks 3-6 in 2019 (Zac Taylor's first year as head coach).

Each of those streaks, however, included a non-offensive touchdown.

Charlie Jones had a punt return score in Week 2 of 2023, and Brandon Wilson had a kickoff return touchdown in Week 6, 2019.

The other instances were in Weeks 1-4, 2002 (Brian Simmons had a 51-yard interception return in Week 4), and Weeks 5-8, 1978.

While all five streaks are equal at four games in length, the current one feels worse in many regards.

Before getting into the reasons for that, here is the list of games in each streak:

2025

L 48-10 at Vikings

L 28-3 at Broncos

L 37-24 vs Lions

L 27-18 at Packers

2023

L 24-3 at Browns

L 27 -24 vs Ravens

W 19-16 vs Rams

L 27-3 at Titans

2019

L 21-17 at Bills

L 27-3 at Steelers

L 26-23 vs Cardinals

L 23-17 at Ravens

2002

L 34-6 vs Chargers

L 20-7 at Browns

L 30-3 at Falcons

L 35-7 vs Buccaneers

1978

L 28-12 at 49ers

L 21-0 at Dolphins

L 10-3 vs Patriots

L 5-0 at Bills

The current streak features a -70 point differential in the first half, which is the worst of the group.

2025: -70

2002: -68

1978: -45

2019: -35

2023: -34

The current streak has seen the Bengals gain 372 net yards of offense in the first half (93 per game). That is second worst.

2002: 323

2025: 372

2019: 406

2023: 430

2025: 463

Each of the last three droughts ended with the Bengals scoring exactly one first-half touchdown in the fifth game, so it’s not as though the dam broke and there was an explosion of first-half offense.

Even the touchdowns weren’t explosive.

The Bengals ended with 2023 run with a 2-yard pass from Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase at Arizona in Week 5.

The 2019 drought ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by Joe Mixon in Week 7 against the Jaguars.

And the 2002 one halted with a 2-yard Corey Dilon scoring run at Indianapolis.

So which Bengals player is going to score a 2-yard TD in the first half tonight to stop this skid?

Or will no one score and put the 2025 team all alone in team history for failing to score an offensive touchdown in the first half of five consecutive games?

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