The 2017 season was the Cincinnati Bengals' 48th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 50th overall and their 15th under head coach Marvin Lewis. After starting 0–2, scoring only 9 points, and not scoring any touchdowns in their first two games, the Bengals fired offensive coordinator Ken Zampese. Quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor was promoted to offensive coordinator to replace Zampese. The Bengals suffered back to back losing seasons for the first time since 2007–2008. However, the Bengals were able to knock off two teams contending for the playoffs at the end of their season, the Detroit Lions in Week 16, and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17 which allowed the Buffalo Bills reach the postseason for the first time since 1999.

Offseason

Free agents

Unrestricted

Position Player 2017 Team Date signed Contract WR Brandon LaFell Cincinnati Bengals March 8 2 years, $10 million CB Dre Kirkpatrick Cincinnati Bengals March 9 5 years, $52.5 million LB Karlos Dansby Arizona Cardinals March 9 1 year, $2 million OT Andrew Whitworth Los Angeles Rams March 9 3 years, $36 million OG Kevin Zeitler Cleveland Browns March 9 5 years, $60 million DT Domata Peko Denver Broncos March 11 2 years, $7.5 million RB Rex Burkhead New England Patriots March 14 1 year, $3.15 million CB Chykie Brown DE Margus Hunt Indianapolis Colts March 14 2 years, $4.1 million RB Cedric Peerman Cincinnati Bengals March 23 1 year, $1.15 million

Restricted and Exclusive-Rights Position Player Tag 2017 Team Date signed Contract C T.J. Johnson RFA Cincinnati Bengals March 17 2 years, $3.475M

Signings Position Player 2016 team Date signed Contract LB Kevin Minter Arizona Cardinals March 20 1 year, $4.25 million OT Andre Smith Minnesota Vikings March 14 1 year, $3.25 million

Departures Position Player 2017 team Contract WR James Wright LB Rey Maualuga Miami Dolphins 1 year, $980K DT Brandon Thompson DE Wallace Gilberry OT Eric Winston

Draft

Staff

Final roster

Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 23–12 1–0 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 2 Kansas City Chiefs L 12–30 1–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 3 August 27 at Washington Redskins L 17–23 1–2 FedExField Recap 4 at Indianapolis Colts L 6–7 1–3 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap

Regular season

Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 10 Baltimore Ravens L 0–20 0–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 2 Houston Texans L 9–13 0–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 3 September 24 at Green Bay Packers L 24–27 0–3 Lambeau Field Recap 4 October 1 at Cleveland Browns W 31–7 1–3 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 5 October 8 Buffalo Bills W 20–16 2–3 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 6Bye 7 October 22 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 14–29 2–4 Heinz Field Recap 8 October 29 Indianapolis Colts W 24–23 3–4 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 9 November 5 at Jacksonville Jaguars L 7–23 3–5 EverBank Field Recap 10 November 12 at Tennessee Titans L 20–24 3–6 Nissan Stadium Recap 11 November 19 at Denver Broncos W 20–17 4–6 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 12 November 26 Cleveland Browns W 30–16 5–6 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 13 Pittsburgh Steelers L 20–23 5–7 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 14 December 10 Chicago Bears L 7–33 5–8 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 15 December 17 at Minnesota Vikings L 7–34 5–9 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 16 December 24 Detroit Lions W 26–17 6–9 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 17 December 31 at Baltimore Ravens W 31–27 7–9 M&T Bank Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Baltimore Ravens

The Bengals started the season at home against the Ravens. In the first quarter, the Ravens scored as Justin Tucker kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 3–0. They would increase their lead in the second quarter when Joe Flacco found Jeremy Maclin on a 48-yard pass to make it 10–0. This would be followed up by a 2-yard touchdown run by Terrence West to make the score 17–0 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Ravens would go back to work with Tucker kicking yet another 25-yard field goal to make the score 20–0. A scoreless fourth quarter made this the eventual final score of the game.

With the loss, the Bengals started their season 0–1. This is the team's first shut-out loss at home since 2001.

Andy Dalton set a new career high for total turnovers in a game with 5 (4 interceptions, 1 lost fumble)

Week 2: vs. Houston Texans

The Bengals stayed home for a Thursday Night duel against the Texans. In the first quarter the Texans jumped out to an early lead when Kaʻimi Fairbairn kicked a 26-yard field goal to make it 3–0. The Bengals tied it up in the second quarter when Randy Bullock kicked a 39-yard field goal to make it 3–3. Though the Texans would then retake the lead when DeShaun Watson ran for a 49-yard touchdown to make it 10–3. Bullock closed out the first half scoring with a 29-yard field goal to make it 10–6 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Bengals went back to work when Bullock kicked a 30-yard field goal to get his team within a point making the score 10–9. In the fourth quarter, the Texans moved ahead by 4 after Fairbairn kicked a 42-yard field goal to make it 13–9. The Bengals tried to come back with seconds left but after a failed fourth down conversion attempt, the Texans were able to seal the victory.

With the loss, the Bengals dropped to 0–2. This would be the team's first 0–2 start since 2008. They are also the first team to open a season with two home games without scoring a touchdown since the 1939 Eagles.

Week 3: at Green Bay Packers

The Bengals traveled Lambeau Field to take on the Packers. In the first quarter, the Bengals scored first when Andy Dalton found A. J. Green on a 10-yard pass to make it 7–0. Though the Packers would respond by tying the game up at 7–7 when Aaron Rodgers found Lance Kendricks on a 1-yard pass. In the second quarter, it was all Bengals when Dalton found Giovani Bernard on a 6-yard pass to make it 14–7. This would be followed up by Cornerback William Jackson III intercepting Rodgers and returning it 75 yards for a touchdown to make it 21–7 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Packers got to work as Rodgers would find Jordy Nelson on a 1-yard pass to make it 21–14. They would draw closer in the fourth quarter after Mason Crosby kicked a 28-yard field goal to make it 21–17. The Bengals then moved ahead by a touchdown again after Randy Bullock kicked a 46-yard field goal to make it 24–17. However, the Packers tied it up later on when Rodgers and Nelson connected again this time on a 3-yard pass to make it 24–24. In overtime, the Bengals won the toss but went three-and-out. After the Packers got the ball, Rodgers found Geronimo Allison on a 72-yard pass that set up Mason Crosby's game-winning field goal from 27 yards out to make the final score 27–24.

With the loss, the Bengals fell to 0–3. The team would face their first 0–3 start since 2008.

Week 4: at Cleveland Browns

After a tough loss, the Bengals traveled to Cleveland to take on the Browns in Round 1 of Battle of Ohio. After a scoreless first quarter, the Bengals got to work in the second quarter when Andy Dalton found A. J. Green on a 7-yard pass to make the score 7–0. Dalton would then find Tyler Kroft on a 3-yard pass to make it 14–0. Then Dalton would find Giovani Bernard on a 61-yard pass to make it 21–0 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Bengals increased their lead when Randy Bullock nailed a 41-yard field goal to make it 24–0. This would be followed by Dalton's fourth touchdown pass of the day as he found Kroft again this time on a 16-yard pass to make it 31–0. In the fourth quarter, the Browns got the final points of the game when Duke Johnson ran for a 1-yard touchdown making the final score 31–7.

With the win, the Bengals improved to 1–3.

Week 5: vs. Buffalo Bills

After a huge road win, the Bengals returned home for a game against the Bills. The Bengals would draw first blood in the first quarter when Andy Dalton found A. J. Green on a 77-yard pass to make it 7–0. The Bills scored a field goal later on in the quarter when Stephen Hauschka kicked a 31-yard field goal to make it 7-3. The Bengals moved up by a touchdown in the second quarter when Randy Bullock nailed a 30-yard field goal to make it 10–3. Though the Bills would tie it up later on in the quarter when Tyrod Taylor connected with Brandon Tate for a 12-yard pass making the score 10–10 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Bills moved into the lead with another field goal from Hauschka. This was from 38 yards out to make the score 13–10. In the fourth quarter, the Bengals retook the lead when Joe Mixon ran for a 5-yard touchdown making it 17–13. Hauschka got the Bills closer with a 28-yard field goal to make it 17–16. Though later on, Bullock kicked a 29-yard field goal making the score 20–16. This would be the eventual final score of the game.

With the win, the Bengals went into their bye week at 2–3.

Week 7: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Coming off their bye week, the Bengals traveled to Pittsburgh for Game 1 against the division rival Steelers. The Steelers would score first when Ben Roethlisberger found Antonio Brown on a 7-yard pass to make it 7–0. Though later on in the quarter, the Bengals would tie it up when Andy Dalton found Brandon LaFell on a 6-yard pass to make it a 7–7 game. In the second quarter, the Steelers moved back into the lead when Roethlisberger found JuJu Smith-Schuster on a 31-yard pass to make it 14–7. But the Bengals tied it up again when Dalton found Tyler Kroft on a 1-yard pass making it 14–14. The Steelers closed the half with 2 field goals kicked by Chris Boswell: From 22 and 24 yards out to retake the lead 17–14 and then make it 20–14 at halftime. In the highly defensive second half, the Steelers managed to score more field goals starting in the third quarter when Boswell went for 2 more: From 41 and 49 yards out to increase the Steelers' lead from 9 to 12 and making the score change from 23–14 to 26–14. In the last quarter, the Steelers would pretty much seal the game when Boswell hit his fifth field goal of the game from 29-yards out to make the final score 29–14.

With their fifth straight loss to the Steelers, the Bengals dropped to 2–4.

Week 8: vs. Indianapolis Colts

After a tough loss, the Bengals returned home for a game against the Colts. The Bengals jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter when Randy Bullock kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it 3–0. This would be the only score of the quarter. In the second quarter the Colts scored 10 unanswered points and took the lead when at first they would tie it up with Adam Vinatieri's 29-yard field goal to make it 3–3 followed up by Jacoby Brissett finding Jack Doyle on a 13-yard pass to make it 10–3. The Bengals tied it up later on in the quarter when Andy Dalton found A. J. Green on an 8-yard pass to make it 10–10. But the Colts would move ahead at halftime with Vinatieri finishing up with a 33-yard field goal to make it 13–10. In the third quarter, the Bengals retook the lead 17–13 when Dalton found Josh Malone on a 25-yard pass. Though the Colts took the lead back afterwards when Brissett found Marlon Mack on a 24-yard pass making it 20–17. In the fourth quarter, the Colts increased their lead when Vinatieri kicked yet another 29-yard field goal to make it 23–17. Though the Bengals would eventually seal the victory when Brissett was intercepted by Carlos Dunlap and it was returned for a 16-yard touchdown to make the final score 24–23.

With the win, the Bengals improved to 3–4.

Week 9: at Jacksonville Jaguars