Cincinnati Bengals have been the Philadelphia Eagles’ Kryptonite in the 21st Century

When it comes to frustrating matchups, the Cincinnati Bengals might be at the top of the Eagles’ list. Since a chilly Christmas Eve win in 2000, Philly just hasn’t been able to crack the code.

Not only have the Bengals given the Eagles headaches for over two decades, but there’s also a wild stat hanging over the Birds: they have never won in Cincinnati.

With the Eagles looking to change that narrative this Sunday, let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the recent heartbreaks—and outright disasters—that have come to define this matchup, which doesn’t happen very often to begin with.

Real Quick: Phans of Philly will be in attendance and still has tailgate packages available if you’re making the trek to Cincy. More on that here >>

January 2, 2005: Bengals 38 – Eagles 10

The Eagles, already locked into the No. 1 seed in the NFC, treated this game like a glorified bye week, resting Donovan McNabb and most starters.

Rudi Johnson didn’t care.

He bulldozed through the Eagles’ backups, racking up three touchdowns in a 38-10 rout.

Philly turned the ball over five times in what amounted to little more than a preseason game for them. “We were going to win regardless of who they played,” Johnson confidently declared afterward.

For the Eagles, the game was just a blip before their run to the Super Bowl that year—but the beating still stung.

November 16, 2008: Bengals 13 – Eagles 13

One of the most infamous ties in NFL history. Facing a 1-8 Bengals team, the 5-4 Birds were supposed to cruise to victory. Instead, it was a hot mess of a game. Donovan McNabb looked lost, throwing three interceptions and fumbling, all while completing just 28 of 58 pass attempts.

To make matters worse, he later admitted he didn’t even know games could end in a tie: “I never even knew it was in the rule book,” McNabb said. Brutal.

December 13, 2012: Bengals 34 – Eagles 13

A rookie quarterback named Nick Foles was filling in for an injured Mike Vick and led the Birds to a 13-10 halftime lead. From there? The wheels came off.

The second half was a total disaster, with the Eagles failing to score again while committing five turnovers. Foles threw for just 182 yards, and the loss dropped Philly to 4-10. Andy Reid’s time in Philly was clearly winding down—this was just one of many disappointments in his final season.

December 4, 2016: Bengals 32 – Eagles 14

Another rookie you may be familiar with, Carson Wentz, put up 308 passing yards, but it came at the cost of 60 attempts, 1 TD, and 3 interceptions.

To call the run game ineffective would be generous, as Wendell Smallwood’s 19 rushing yards led the team. Andy Dalton, meanwhile, made it look easy against an Eagles defense that couldn’t keep pace. By the end, it was a one-sided affair, and the Bengals had added another ugly loss to Philly’s record.

September 27, 2020: Bengals 23 – Eagles 23

This tie was peak 2020 chaos. The game ended in the most Doug Pederson way possible—choosing to punt after a false start pushed Jake Elliott’s game-winning field goal attempt from 59 yards to 64.

Both teams dropped to 0-2-1, and it felt like a “loss” for Eagles fans everywhere. At least this one was less embarrassing than 2008, but still… it’s a tie against the Bengals.

Betting Notes for Sunday’s Game:

The Philadelphia Eagles (4-2-0) visit Paycor Stadium to take on the Cincinnati Bengals (3-4-0) on Oct. 27. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00pm EDT in Cincinnati, OH.

• The Bengals are -2 point favorites vs the Eagles
• Total (Over/Under): 48 points
• The Bengals are betting favorites in this matchup, with the spread sitting at -2.5 (-115).
• The Eagles vs. Bengals Over/Under is 48 total points for the game.

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Are we in for another tie on Sunday? 🤣 pic.twitter.com/6K3yO9W6mn

— Victor Williams (@ThePhillyPod) October 24, 2024

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