2015 Cincinnati Bengals season | |
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Owner | Mike Brown |
Head coach | Marvin Lewis |
Home field | Paul Brown Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 12–4 |
Division place | 1st AFC North |
Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Steelers) 16–18 |
Pro Bowlers | TE Tyler Eifert WR A. J. Green FS Reggie Nelson OT Andrew Whitworth DE Carlos Dunlap DT Geno Atkins CB Adam Jones ST Cedric Peerman |
Uniform | |
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The 2015 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 48th overall and the thirteenth under head coach Marvin Lewis.
The Cincinnati Bengals got off to a franchise best start after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field by a score of 16–10, improving them to 7–0. Their winning streak ended in Week 10 with a loss to the Houston Texans in Cincinnati. Later in the season, they clinched a playoff spot for a franchise record fifth straight year. They clinched their second AFC North title in the last three seasons with their Week 16 loss at the Denver Broncos because of the Steelers loss to the Ravens the day before. They lost to the Steelers in the Wild Card 18-16 in what is considered one of the biggest meltdowns in Bengals history.[1][2] This marked the 25th consecutive season without a playoff win for the Bengals. They also became the first team in NFL history to lose five consecutive playoff games in the first round.
2015 was the Bengals final playoff appearance in the Marvin Lewis era, as they entered a period of decline afterwards. They did not return to the postseason nor had a winning record until 2021, where they reached Super Bowl LVI, although they lost to the Los Angeles Rams.