The Jacksonville Jaguars once owned the Cincinnati Bengals.
From 1996 to 2005, the Jags were 10-2 against the Bengals, and scored 24 or more points eight times (counting a 31-26 loss in 1997). Once divisional foes, the Jags were especially dominant during the Tom Coughlin era, winning five in a row during one stretch, by an average score of 27-9.
Everything is cyclical in the NFL and so it has gone for the Jaguars-Bengals rivalry. When the two teams play on Oct. 4 at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, the Jaguars will be trying to end a four-game losing streak going back to 2020.
The Bengals have won eight of the last 10 vs. Jacksonville.
However, is it simply a matter of a cyclical NFL trend? Teams turn over a good portion of their roster every season, so there are only four players on the 2026 team who played in 2020 when the Bengals began their current streak over the Jags, edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen, nose tackle DaVon Hamilton, long snapper Ross Matiscik and punter Logan Cooke.
"Things work that way ... look at us and the cycle we're in right now," Cooke said about the Jaguars compiling a 15-5 record under Liam Coen.
And Hines-Allen said the past won't matter at game time.
"If we had won four straight, the message would still be the same ... just go out there and play how we play," he said. "We're excited for this game. It's another great opportunity for us."
Jaguars coach Liam Coen said that even dwelling on last year's loss in Cincinnati might not be of any value.
"It's so long ago, obviously," he said. "Both teams are very different in so many ways."
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has beaten every AFC team and marquee quarterback except the Bengals and Joe Burrow. He's well aware of the streak and is intent on ending it.
“We've got to make it turn," he said. "We've got to go win it. I think it's definitely something that when you're going into this game that you think about. You're not sitting there thinking about it every second of the day and all week, but I've thought about it. It's a team that we haven't beaten; we lost a tough one there earlier in the season last year and that's one that we definitely want back."
Jaguars have led in all four lossesThe four recent losses to the Bengals have followed a similar pattern: The Jaguars led at halftime or entering the fourth quarter, the Bengals rallied behind huge offensive performances by a wide receiver or running back and won three of the four games with scores inside the final minute, two of them walk-off field goals by former Florida Gator Evan McPherson.
Burrow and Jake Browning each have two victories over the Jags, although Browning didn't last year, coming in when Burrow was hurt with 9:02 left in the second quarter. Browning led Cincinnati to the victory despite throwing three interceptions.
The Jaguars have also experienced numerous failures to score in the red zone, either settling for field goals or coming away with no points.
Here are two more oddities about the last four Jaguars-Bengals games: the Jags did not lose the turnover battle in any of them (both teams had one turnover in 2020, none in 2021 and the Jags had one fewer in each of the other two games) and the Jags had fewer penalties than the Bengals in 2020 and 2021.
The losses also haven't been without controversy, as Jaguars fans will always bitterly remember two phantom penalties in particular that made the difference for the Bengals.
Here's what has happened during the current losing streak vs. Cincinnati:
2020: Joe Mixon runs wildRunning back Joe Mixon gained 151 yards on 25 carries and spearheaded a late field-goal drive in Cincinnati's 33-25 victory. He gained 48 yards on six carries, leading to a field goal by Randy Bullock with 1:50 left to put the Bengals ahead 33-22.
Gardner Minshew (27 of 40, 351 yards, two TD passes), led a furious drive inside Cincinnati's 10 by completing four passes in a row for 63 yards to lead to Aldrick Rosas' 30-yard field goal with 12 seconds left. Cooke's onside kick attempt was recovered by the Bengals.
The Jaguars led 13-10 at halftime but Cincinnati scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter. Jacksonville had to settle for field goals after getting first downs to the Bengals' 11-, 12- and 19-yardlines.
2021: Thursday nightmareThe Jaguars led 14-0 at halftime (it could have been 21-0) but the Bengals rallied behind Burrow and Tyler Boyd and won 24-21 on McPherson's 35-yard walkoff field goal that capped a drive beginning at the Bengals' 10.
The Jaguars dominated the first half as James Robinson (78 yards) and Lawrence (17 of 24, 204 yards) scored rushing touchdowns. Lawrence then completed a 52-yard pass to Laviska Shenault to the Bengals' 10 and failed to score on fourth-and-goal from the 1 on a quarterback sneak.
The Jaguars had no answer on defense for Burrow to tight end C.J. Uzomah (five receptions, 95 yards, two TDs) and Boyd caught nine passes for 118 yards at Cincinnati stormed back to tie the game. But Robinson scored again early in the fourth quarter for a 21-14 lead.
The Jags yielded a 31-yard TD pass to Uzomah with 9:08 left and couldn't move the ball. Burrow then completed 5 of 5 passes for 58 yards on the game-winning drive, with a sack nullified by a defensive holding penalty on Tre Herndon.
The game also became notable much later when it was revealed that coach Urban Meyer didn't accompany the team back to Jacksonville, staying behind and going to Columbus, Ohio, where he was videotaped in a compromising position with a young woman at a restaurant he owned. Meyer apologized profusely to the team and owner Shad Khan but the incident went a long way towards his eventual firing later in the season.
2023: C.J. Beathard nearly wins itThe Jaguars entered the Monday night home game at EverBank Stadium with an 8-3 record and a chance to become the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
A long pass from backup quarterback C.J. Beathard to Calvin Ridley was called back because of a holding penalty on rookie tackle Anton Harrison and the Bengals forced a punt and drove for McPherson's 48-yard walkoff field goal in overtime, winning 34-31 and starting a spiral in which the Jags lost five of their last six games and failed to make the playoffs.
Lawrence threw TD passes to Evan Engram and Parker Washington and scored another as the Jaguars led 28-21 going into the fourth quarter. The Bengals tied the game 28-28 and the two teams traded field goals in the final minutes to send the game to overtime. Lawrence was injured while getting sacked with 5:43 left in the game but Beathard completed five passes in a row for 46 yards to set up the tying field goal by Brandon McManus.
The Jaguars won the toss to get possession first in overtime and Beathard connected with Ridley for a 43-yard gain to the Bengals 2. However, Harrison was flagged for a holding penalty that was borderline at best and the Jaguars had to punt.
Browning (32 of 37, 354 yards), then led the game-winning drive that ended with McPherson's field goal. Ja'Marr Chase caught 11 passes for 149 yards and one touchdown.
The Jags won only one more game the rest of the season, with Beathard starting in a victory over Carolina, and lost the next week at Tennessee, 28-20, to get knocked out of the playoffs.
2025: Browning victimizes the Jaguars againJake Browning struck again. Joe Burrow was knocked out of the game early with a toe injury but Browning completed 21 of 32 passes for 241 yards and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase caught 14 passes for 165 yards. Brown led a 92-yard drive in the final minutes and scored the winning touchdown from 1 yard out with 19 seconds left in a 31-27 victory.
The key play, and one that will rankle Jaguars fans almost as much as "Myles Jack wasn't down," was on fourth-and-four from the Cincinnati 33. Brown threw a pass on the sideline to Andre Iosivas and the ball was knocked away by Travis Hunter. However, Hunter was flagged for interference on a play that most officials would swallow the whistle on in late-game situations, and it turned into a 25-yard gain for the Bengals.
Travis Hunter played this about as well as a defender can in today’s NFL.
— Andrew Gibson (@1010XLAG) September 15, 2025
Still got called for pass interference. 🤦🏻♂️
pic.twitter.com/2J3QWCxHcm
Browning completed nine of 11 passes for 65 yards on the possession.
Lawrence completed 24 of 42 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Jags to a 17-10 halftime lead. The score was tied 24-24 entering the fourth quarter and Cam Little gave the Jags a 27-24 lead early in the fourth quarter with a 25-yard field goal after the Jaguars had a first-and-goal at the Bengals' 7.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars hex against Bengals includes losing leads, crucial penalties