There was no more accurate representation of Cincinnati sports in 2016 than the Bengals vs. Redskins game on Sunday morning.
After leading the Redskins 20-10 in the third quarter, the Bengals were forced to overtime. Tied at 27, Redskins kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a chip-shot 34-yard field goal to win the game. With the ball back, the Bengals began their drive down the field to end the game.
The drive was halted when Andy Dalton fumbled on a quarterback sneak, turning the ball back over to the Redskins with 1:11 remaining in overtime. Washington was unable to capitalize on the mistake, and the game ended in a tie.
A tie.
After the Reds stumbled to a last place finish in the National League Central, many Cincinnati fans were relying on the Bengals for a playoff run in 2016. Through eight weeks, the outlook has been bleak, and Sunday was the culmination of the woes for Cincinnati fans.
Through one of the toughest years in Cincinnati sports history, the tie is just icing on the cake. Watching Cleveland win an NBA title, and having the Indians reach the World Series, Cincinnati fans weren't even given the satisfaction of seeing their team win a non-divisional game in London.
This was the Bengals third tie in franchise history, with all three coming since 2008. The first tie was in 2008 against Philadelphia, when kicker Shayne Graham missed a field goal with seven seconds remaining in overtime. In 2014 the Bengals tied the Panthers, and kicker Mike Nugent missed a field goal as time expired in overtime.
The third tie was not much different from the first two, as it also involved kicking miscues.
Nugent missed an extra point in the third quarter, which would have been the decisive point in the 27-27 game. That was not the only mistake either, as Nugent also missed a 51-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Although kicking did not lose the game, the Bengals had their opportunities. It was only fitting the game ended in a tie. For a game with many mistakes and penalties, neither team deserved to win.
As we enter November, the city of Cincinnati is holding out hope for a Bengals playoff appearance. For now, they can say their team owns the second-most ties in NFL history.
