Bengals search for answers after frustrating loss to Chargers

On By Littum

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INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Frustrations begin to boil over as Cincinnati Bengals (4-7) enter their bye week searching for answers after another excruciating one-score loss.

The The Bengals came back from a 27-6 deficit in the second half, but were defeated by Los Angeles Chargers 34-27 in a thriller on Sunday night. It was the Bengals’ sixth one-score loss this season.

“Ask Zac (Taylor). Ask the coaches. Don’t ask me. It’s not my job,” Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase said postgame when asked about the team’s inability to finish close games. “I play football on the field. I don’t call plays for us, you know? So I can’t really do anything.”

Chase finished with seven receptions, 75 yards and two touchdowns. Tee Higgins produced nine catches, 148 and one touchdown. Still, it wasn’t enough as the Bengals couldn’t finish off a ferocious second-half rally.

The loss will become the story of the Bengals’ season. Of Cincinnati’s seven losses, six have been by seven points or less.

“I can’t. I wish I could,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said when asked if he could explain the team’s close losses this season. … “You know what I just keep saying the team is, ‘at some point this is going to help us. At some point we have to find some momentum and we have to go on a run. We have to find ourselves in a good position where we reflect back.’ We will never use a loss for good, but it has to help us in some way. We’ve played some really good football teams and we’ve just got to find a way to finish it off and I keep saying that, we’re a game away every time I say it, but I’m still confident that we can get this done.”

The Week 12 bye gives the Bengals an opportunity to regroup. However, their playoff chances are floating away in the Ohio River. The Bengals are five games behind Pittsburgh Steelers and three games afterwards Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. A wild card becomes more and more unlikely with each loss. According to the New York Timesthe Bengals only have a 22% chance of making the playoffs.

“We know where we are. I’m not happy with where we are,” Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said. “I don’t think anybody is, but all you can do is come back (Monday) and try to get better.”

Burrow leads the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Chase leads the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Unfortunately for the Bengals, their numbers haven’t translated into wins.

When Burrow was asked if this is the most frustrating NFL season he’s had to date. The Bengals’ fifth-year quarterback had a straightforward answer: “Yes.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.