There is reason to believe that the Cincinnati Bengals will have another crack at the Super Bowl after losing to the Los Angeles Rams in the dying minutes of Super Bowl LVI.
They were five minutes away from clinching the franchise’s first world title, but Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp had other plans.
Instead, head coach Zac Taylor and his young but talented crew will be back to the drawing board, hoping to make a return trip sooner than later.
But while Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja’Marr Chase, and the rest of the team receive much praise despite their defeat, they’ve also added to the frustrating Super Bowl finishes that the team has endured throughout their history.
Heartbreak In Cincinnati, Part 3
How much more can the Bengals fans endure?
They were optimistic that the 2021 NFL season would finally be their year because their team was on a magical run.
Instead, the ghosts from past Super Bowls resurrected, especially Super Bowl XXIII.
With their loss Sunday to the Rams, the Bengals fall to 0-3 in the Super Bowl.
The only teams with worse records are the Bills and Vikings, both 0-4.
The Bengals' losses have come by an average of 4 points, with 2 coming on go-ahead touchdowns in the last 90 seconds. pic.twitter.com/aHyDDM5W1B
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 14, 2022
Super Bowl LVI’s outcome is eerily similar to the pass that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana threw to John Taylor.
It came late in the game when the Bengals held a lead.
Unfortunately, Cincinnati has to settle for yet another moral victory despite waiting 33 years for another Super Bowl opportunity.
Worst, they were not blown out in their Super Bowl losses.
A few breaks of the game going their way could change their history for the better.
Instead, the Bengals are still searching for that elusive Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Their young core and their $57 million cap space based on the projected 2022 salary limit will help them retool their roster, especially their offensive line.
But for now, they can only dream that their Super Bowl misery will be finally over.
NEXT: 3 Things The Bengals Can Do To Improve This Offseason