In a gut-wrenching finish at Paycor Stadium, the Cincinnati Bengals squandered a 15-point fourth-quarter lead, falling 39-38 to the winless New York Jets on October 26, 2025. The defeat drops Cincinnati to 3-5, extending their skid to five losses in six games and intensifying scrutiny on a season teetering on the edge of playoff contention.For the Jets (now 1-7), it was a cathartic first victory, fueled by an explosive 502-yard offensive outburst—their highest scoring game of the year.

The Bengals dominated early, racing to a 24-10 halftime bulge behind a resurgent ground attack that racked up 181 rushing yards—their most since late 2023. Joe Flacco, the 40-year-old veteran quarterback, orchestrated the assault with poise, completing 21 of 34 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns, including a 44-yard strike to Tee Higgins that extended his NFL-longest eight-game home touchdown streak. Chase Brown dazzled with dual-threat flair, hauling in a 19-yard touchdown catch-and-run before plunging in from a yard out in the fourth, while Samaje Perine bulldozed for 94 yards and a 32-yard score. Ja'Marr Chase, the league's reception leader with 70, snared 12 balls for 91 yards, underscoring Cincinnati's aerial potency. 

Yet, the script flipped disastrously in the final frame. After Brown's go-ahead 1-yard run made it 38-24 with 10:21 left, the Jets erupted for 23 unanswered points, capping the surge with Breece Hall's audacious 4-yard trick-play touchdown pass to Mason Taylor at 1:54—his first career aerial attempt. Hall's 133 rushing yards and two scores epitomized New York's 255-yard ground avalanche, exposing Cincinnati's defensive frailties, particularly without injured DE Trey Hendrickson. 

On the Bengals' desperate final drive, Flacco—banged up from a late sack—marched to midfield but fired two incompletions, sealing a turnover on downs amid boos from the 65,526 in attendance. "We had this right in our grasp," lamented coach Zac Taylor, calling the lapse "humbling" and "not acceptable." Flacco echoed the frustration: "A few plays don't hit... and you don't convert." Brown, optimistic about the run game's momentum, urged focus: "We just need to finish.

This collapse—scoring 38 points yet losing—highlights deeper woes: an inability to close games and a run defense hemorrhaging yards. With a grueling schedule ahead, Taylor's mantra rings true: "It's still all on the table," but the margin for error has vanished. The Bengals must regroup swiftly, lest this "difficult season" spirals irretrievably.

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/

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