The Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Minnesota Vikings 48-10 on Sunday, falling to 2-1. It was the Bengals' first game without Joe Burrow this season. Jake Browning took the starter role due to Burrow's turf toe injury. To say it was a historic disaster would be an understatement. According to Jay Morrison at Sports Illustrated, the Bengals were losing by more points in this game than any other game in franchise history.
And a 45-point deficit is a franchise record. https://t.co/hExntyanC0
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) September 21, 2025
When TJ Hockenson scored a touchdown with 17 seconds left in the third quarter, the Bengals were losing a game by 45 points for the first time in franchise history. This is Cincinnati's 58th season in the league, with some pretty bad teams mixed in. But none have been as thoroughly embarrassed on one given day like the 2025 squad.
The Bengals were not the only team in this game with a backup quarterback. Carson Wentz did not do much for the Vikings, with 14 completions for 173 yards. But the running game and the defense pulled away. Browning threw two picks, compared to Wentz's none, which helped Minnesota's offense rack up points.
The Bengals' defense was heavily criticized last year, prompting a change at defensive coordinator. Al Golden did not help from the sideline as his unit got torched on Sunday. They also spent their first-round pick in April on edge rusher Shemar Stewart, but he did not play in the game with an ankle injury.
The Bengals are in primetime in Week 4 against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. They need that extra day to reset and get back in the lab on both offense and defense. After a stunning win in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Browning and the Bengals fell back to Earth in Week 3. Can both sides of the ball figure it out before a key Week 4 matchup?
