Cincinnati Bengals · Franchise era 5 of 6
Five straight playoff trips: the Cincinnati Bengals story
Franchise era
2011—2019
Five straight playoff trips
Cincinnati Bengals
The story in one sentence
A young core reached the postseason in each of its first five seasons together, though it could not secure the franchise's first playoff win in decades.
Dalton and Green make winning routine
Andy Dalton, A.J. Green and Geno Atkins gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for burrow changes the ceiling.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 2011
What came before
Marvin Lewis brought credibility and Palmer's vertical offense won the 2005 division before injuries and inconsistency shortened the window.
2013-01-05
Wild Card: Cincinnati Bengals vs Houston Texans
2015-01-04
Wild Card: Cincinnati Bengals vs Indianapolis Colts
2016-01-09
Wild Card: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals
After 2019
What came next
Burrow and Chase reunited from LSU, produced an immediate AFC championship and made Cincinnati a threat whenever its quarterback is healthy.
The core