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The Cincinnati Bengals are the definition of a Cinderella team in the NFL, becoming the fifth team to advance to the Super Bowl the season after finishing in last place in its division since 2000 — and the first since the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles. Cincinnati completed the near impossible with its overtime victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, overcoming long preseason odds to win the AFC title.
The Bengals had 75-1 odds in the preseason to win the AFC championship, the largest for a conference champion over the past 20 years. The 2016 Atlanta Falcons previously had the longest preseason odds that won a conference title at 40-1, followed by the 2015 Carolina Panthers at 30-1 and the 2003 Carolina Panthers at 28-1. Cincinnati was tied with the New York Jets for the second-longest odds to win the AFC title (only the Houston Texans had longer odds).
The Houston Texans (300-1) and Detroit Lions (250-1) had longer Super Bowl odds than the Bengals, who had odds of 150-1 in the preseason to win the Super Bowl. The 1999 St. Louis Rams have the longest preseason odds by a Super Bowl champion since the merger at 150-1, a feat the Bengals can match by winning Super Bowl LVI. The 2001 New England Patriots had 60-1 odds in the preseason when they won the Super Bowl, followed by the 1981 San Francisco 49ers (50-1) and 2017 Philadelphia Eagles (40-1).
The 2021 Bengals have won more playoff games (three) than the 2019 Bengals won the entire season (two). Cincinnati is the lowest-seeded AFC team (No. 4 seed) to make the Super Bowl since the 2012 Baltimore Ravens, who won the Super Bowl that year.
Destiny may be on the Bengals’ side.
Bengals AFC Champions gear now available
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