The 2015 season was the Cincinnati Bengals' 46th in the National Football League (NFL), their 48th overall and their 13th 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. 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. 2015 was also the final year of the Marvin Lewis era in which the Bengals would not be swept by any AFC North rivals. The Bengals would fail to avoid being swept by AFC North rivals until 2022.
2015 draft class
2015 Cincinnati Bengals Draft Round Selection Player Position College 1 21 Cedric Ogbuehi OT Texas A&M 2 53 Jake Fisher OT Oregon 3 85 Tyler Kroft TE Rutgers Paul Dawson LB TCU 4 120 Josh Shaw S USC Marcus Hardison DT Arizona State 5 157 C. J. Uzomah TE Auburn 6 197 Derron Smith S Fresno State 7 238 Mario Alford WR West Virginia Compensatory selection 3rd round pick awarded for losing Michael Johnson in free agency.
Staff
Final roster
Schedule
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 New York Giants W 23–10 1–0 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 2 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 11–25 1–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap 3 Chicago Bears W 21–10 2–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 4 at Indianapolis Colts W 9–6 3–1 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 13 at Oakland Raiders W 33–13 1–0 O.co Coliseum Recap 2 September 20 San Diego Chargers W 24–19 2–0 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 3 September 27 at Baltimore Ravens W 28–24 3–0 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 4 October 4 Kansas City Chiefs W 36–21 4–0 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 5 October 11 Seattle Seahawks W 27–24 5–0 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 6 October 18 at Buffalo Bills W 34–21 6–0 Ralph Wilson Stadium Recap 7Bye 8 November 1 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 16–10 7–0 Heinz Field Recap 9 Cleveland Browns W 31–10 8–0 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 10 Houston Texans L 6–10 8–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 11 November 22 at Arizona Cardinals L 31–34 8–2 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 12 November 29 St. Louis Rams W 31–7 9–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 13 December 6 at Cleveland Browns W 37–3 10–2 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 14 December 13 Pittsburgh Steelers L 20–33 10–3 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 15 December 20 at San Francisco 49ers W 24–14 11–3 Levi's Stadium Recap 16 at Denver Broncos L 17–20 11–4 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 17 January 3 Baltimore Ravens W 24–16 12–4 Paul Brown Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Postseason
Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap Wild Card Pittsburgh Steelers (6) L 16–18 0–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap
Game summaries
Regular season
Week 1: at Oakland Raiders
The Bengals started their season on the road against the Raiders. They would score first when Jeremy Hill ran for a TD from 3 yards out 7–0 lead in the first quarter for that quarter's only score. They increase their lead in the second quarter when Mike Nugent nailed a 32-yard field goal for a 10–0 lead followed up by Hill running for a 2-yard TD for a 17–0 lead followed up by Andy Dalton finding Tyler Eifert on a 13-yard TD pass for a 24–0 lead at halftime. After the break, the Bengals went back to work as Dalton and Eifert hooked up again this time on an 8-yard TD pass (with a failed PAT) for a 30–0 lead. Nugent put a 35-yard field goal through for a 33–0 lead. In the fourth quarter, it was all Raiders when Backup QB Matt McGloin found Marcel Reese on 2 straight TD passes: from 11 and 9 yards out (with a failed 2-point conversion) for a final score of 33–13.
With the win, the Bengals started their season 1–0. This was the Bengals' first win against the Raiders in Oakland, improving their record at Oakland to 1–10.
Week 2: vs. San Diego Chargers
The Bengals' home opener was against the Chargers. In the first quarter, Andy Dalton found A. J. Green on a 16-yard pass for a 7–0 lead. The Chargers would later on score when Josh Lambo kicked a 40-yard field goal for a 7–3 game. They drew closer in the second quarter, when Lambo kicked another field goal from 32 yards out for a 7–6 game. The Bengals moved ahead by 8 when Andy Dalton found Marvin Jones on a 45-yard pass for a 14–6 game at halftime. In the third quarter, the Chargers once again came within a point when Philip Rivers found Stevie Johnson on a 10-yard pass for a 14–13 game. The Bengals pulled ahead by 4 when Mike Nugent kicked a 21-yard field goal for a 17–13 game. In the fourth quarter, Dalton found Tyler Eifert on a 9-yard pass for a 24–13 lead. The Chargers would come within 5 as Rivers found Malcolm Floyd on a 40-yard pass for a 24–19 game. After pressuring the Bengals' offense, the Chargers got the ball back. Though one of Rivers's comeback passes was picked off sealing the win for the Bengals.
With the win, the Bengals improved to 2–0.
Week 3: at Baltimore Ravens
After a tough win at home over the Chargers, the Bengals traveled to Baltimore to take on the winless Ravens. The first half was all Bengals: they scored in the first quarter as Andy Dalton ran for a 7-yard TD for a 7–0 lead and followed up in the second quarter when Dalton found Marvin Jones on a 16-yard TD pass for a 14–0 lead at halftime. The Ravens were able to get on the board in the third quarter when Joe Flacco found Steve Smith Sr. on a 50-yard TD pass for a 14–7 game and the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Ravens took the lead at first coming within 4 when Justin Tucker put a 21-yard field goal through for a 14–10 game and then when C. J. Mosley returned a fumble 41 yards for a TD for a 17–14 lead. The Bengals retook the lead when Dalton found A. J. Green on an 80-yard TD pass for a 21–17 game before the Ravens went back into the lead when Flacco found Smith Sr. again this time on a 16-yard TD pass for a 24–21 game. Dalton and Green hooked up on the last score of the game: a 7-yard TD pass for the final score of 28–24.
With their 4th straight win over the Ravens, the Bengals improved to 3–0 for the 2nd straight season, and captured their 4th 3–0 start under Marvin Lewis. This was also their first ever 2 game winning streak in Baltimore.
Week 4: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
After a tough win over the Ravens, the Bengals returned home for a game against the Chiefs. They would score first in the first quarter when Jeremy Hill ran for an 8-yard TD for a 7–0 lead. Cairo Santos then put a 22-yard field goal through to give the Chiefs their first score of the game 7–3. The Bengals moved ahead by 11 when Giovani Bernard ran for a 13-yard TD for a 14–3 game. In the second quarter, it was all Chiefs as Santos nailed 3 straight field goals eventually to get within 2 points before halftime: from 40, 51, and 34 yards out for 14–6, 14–9, and the 14–12 score at halftime. The Bengals however got back to work in the third quarter when Andy Dalton found Brandon Tate on a 55-yard TD pass increasing their lead to 21–12. The Chiefs came within 6 as Santos put a 40-yard field goal through for a 21–15 game. The Bengals moved ahead by 14 when Hill ran for a 5-yard TD (with a successful 2-point conversion) for a 29–15 game. In the fourth quarter, the Chiefs moved within 11 as Santos put a 29-yard field goal through for a 29–18 game. The Bengals would pretty much seal the game when Hill ran for a 1-yard TD for a 36–18 game. The Chiefs wrapped up the scoring of the game when Santos kicked yet another 51-yard field goal for the eventual final score of 36–21.
With the win, the Bengals improved to 4–0, their first such start since 2005. The defense also didn't allow a single touchdown (just 7 field goals). They also won their 5th straight home game against the Chiefs.
Week 5: vs. Seattle Seahawks
The Bengals returned home to take on the Seahawks. They would score first in the first quarter when Andy Dalton found Tyler Eifert on a 14-yard TD pass for a 7–0. The Seahawks scored 24 straight points: later on in the quarter they managed to tie it up when Russel Wilson found Jermaine Kearse on a 30-yard TD pass for a 7–7 game. In the second quarter, the Seahawks took the lead as Steven Hauschka nailed a 24-yard field goal for a 10–7 game at halftime. In the third quarter, the Seahawks went back to work as Thomas Rawls ran for a 69-yard TD for a 17–7 game followed up by Bobby Wagner returning a fumble 23 yards for a TD for a 24–7 game. In the fourth quarter, the Bengals would start a reign of 20 straight points: First starting out when Dalton and Eifert hooked up again on a 10-yard TD pass for a 24–14 game followed by Dalton running for a 5-yard TD for a 24–21 game. Mike Nugent then kicked a 31-yard field goal through for a tied game at 24–24. In overtime, Nugent would kick the game winning 42-yard field goal for the 27–24 win.
With the win, the Bengals improved to 5–0 for the first time since 1988.
This win also tied the 3rd largest comeback win in franchise history. It was also the first time the Seahawks had blown a 17-point 4th quarter lead since 2004 against St. Louis.
Week 6: at Buffalo Bills
With the win, the Bengals improved to 6–0, their first such start since 1988 which would also see them on a 6-game winning streak. This would be their third 6–0 start in franchise history.
Week 8: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Despite the return of Ben Roethlisberger, the Bengals managed to come from behind and win the game 16–10 and achieve a mark of 7–0 for the first time in franchise history.
As it later turned out, this would be the final time the Bengals defeated the Steelers with Marvin Lewis as head coach. Pittsburgh won the remaining 8 games against the Lewis-led Bengals from their second meeting during 2015 through 2018.
Week 9: vs. Cleveland Browns
The Bengals defeated the Johnny Manziel-led Browns and improved to a franchise-best 8–0 on the season. Tight end Tyler Eifert caught three touchdown passes from Andy Dalton in the game, as he tied the team record for TDs in a season by a TE (9).
Week 10: vs. Houston Texans
The Bengals looked to remain undefeated as they hosted J. J. Watt and the Houston Texans. The Texans' starting quarterback, Brian Hoyer, left the game with a concussion, but recently signed backup T. J. Yates threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins. Andy Dalton drove the Bengals into Texans territory, but A. J. Green fumbled, sealing the Texans' 10–6 victory over the Bengals.
With the loss, the Bengals dropped to 8–1, and were no longer undefeated, leaving the New England Patriots as the only unbeaten team in the AFC at that point.
Week 11: at Arizona Cardinals
The 8–1 Bengals traveled to Arizona to face the 7–2 Cardinals and former Bengals #1 overall draft pick Carson Palmer.