Packers vs Bengals - Recent Games Have Been Adventurous
Jordan Love made his first preseason start against the Bengals in 2023. He looks lead the Packers to their first win in a month on Sunday.
Sunday afternoon the Green Bay Packers enter their Week 6 contest with the Cincinnati Bengals as 14.5-point favorites, the biggest favorites they will have been since being a 16-point favorite against the 2012 Jacksonville Jaguars. Will today’s trade for Joe Flacco affect that point spread?
The Bengals enter the game with a 2-3 record, but have been one of the bigger disappointments this season after the loss of star quarterback Joe Burrow. In the three games with starting quarterback Jake Browning the Bengals have lost to the Vikings, Broncos and Lions by scores of 48-10, 28-3 and 37-24. In all three games, the Bengals did not score a first half touchdown.
After two tough results against the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, a team like the Bengals could be just what the doctor ordered for the Packers. Sunday is a chance to get the team’s first win in a month, against a team that’s struggling mightily in the last three weeks.
However, based on the last 20 years, this matchup always brings the unexpected. Will this weekend be more of the same?
The two teams have met 5 times since 2005, and all have been memorable games.
The Bengals were the last team for the Packers since the league realigned in 2002, and they were the last team for Aaron Rodgers to beat as the Packers quarterback, with a dramatic overtime win 2017.
| Year | Location | Result | Memorable Moment |
| 2005 | at Cincinnati | Cin win 21-14 | Brett Favre 5 INTs; fan interrupts play |
| 2009 | at Green Bay | Cin win 31-24 | Woodson pick 6, Rodgers loses first start to Cin |
| 2013 | at Cincinnati | Cin win 34-30 | Jonathan Franklin fumble, Bengals return for score |
| 2017 | at Green Bay | GB win 27-24 (ot) | Rodgers first win over Bengals, 3rd down throw to Geronimo Allison in overtime |
| 2021 | at Cincinnati | GB win 25-22 (ot) | Crosby misses 3 kicks before GW in OT, Adams career high in yards |
A look at those five matchups
2005 – The Packers hung tough with a Bengals team that would win their first division title in 15 years. Brett Favre had a second-half touchdown pass to Bubba Franks, which cut the Bengals lead to 21-14. However, Favre had 5 interceptions, which would eventually result in leading the league with 29 interceptions. The game is also remembered for a fan who ran onto the field in the 4th quarter as a Packers were attempting their comeback.
OBSCURE THINGS TO HAPPEN AT A BENGALS GAME
Bengals up 7 on the Packers at PBS 10/30/05 when a fan came onto the field, stole the ball from Brett Favre & then got leveled by a security guard.
Bengals won the game & Brian Simmons said the delay helped Cincy gather their thoughts pic.twitter.com/jg0h9WhOYQ
— obscure bengals (@obscure_bengals) June 24, 2024
2009 – The Bengals shocked the Packers at Lambeau Field with a 31-24 win in Aaron Rodgers first start against the Bengals. Rodgers had one touchdown pass and Charles Woodson had his first pick six of the season, but the underdog Bengals were victorious in Week 2. The Bengals would again with the AFC North, their first playoff appearance since 2005.
2013 – A week 3 game would be a precursor to what the 2013 season was for the Packers, a close contest that would be highlighted by several injuries. Despite trailing 14-0 early, the Packers raced to a 30-14 lead in the 3rd quarter. However, without both Eddie Lacy and James Starks to injuries and after Jermichael Finley left the game early, the Packers would lose their big lead and the game after running back Jonathan Franklin fumbled on a short-yardage play. The fumble would be returned by Terrance Newman for the game-winning touchdown. Both teams would win the North divisions, and both would be eliminated on the same Sunday on Wild Card weekend (Bengals to Chargers, Packers to 49ers).
2017 – A game that featured Aaron Rodgers’ second career interception for a touchdown, which happened in the second quarter. Rodgers would lead a comeback highlighted by two touchdown passes to Jordy Nelson, the long connection to Geronimo Allison in overtime, which set up the game-winning kick in overtime by Mason Crosby. However, thanks to a broken collarbone, the 2017 edition of the Packers did not many more of these heroics from No. 12.
Aaron Rodgers worked some magic the last time Cincy visited Green Bay#Packers pic.twitter.com/FRyrTBfJ7Z
— BGPG (@BleedGreenPGold) September 30, 2025
2021 – Just like four years prior, another overtime thriller between the two teams, which ends in another early season win for the Packers. This game will be remembered for two things, a career day from Davante Adams (11 catches for 206 yards) and Mason Crosby’s 4 of 7 on field goal attempts. The veteran kicker missed three late field goals before his game-winner in overtime sent the Packers to a win over the eventual AFC Champions.
Mason Crosby redeems himself with the game-winner!
Packers survive the Bengals in OT.
(via @nfl) pic.twitter.com/EN6UvKT1re
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 10, 2021
With the recent trade for Joe Flacco and the current state of the Packers, who have been up and down throughout games, hence the 2-1-1 record, Sunday’s latest installment in Packers-Bengals history should be another adventurous day at Lambeau Field.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
Mitch McLaughlin is a Packers fan and shareholder residing in Sacramento, California. He will be writing Packers stories each week on Cheesehead TV. He can be found on Twitter: @McLaughlinMitch
__________________________
Comments (5)
Snap the ball
October 07, 2025 at 07:19 pm
This game shouldn’t come down to any fg at the end.
Remember when they beat Kansas City at home two years ago, everyone thought this was the game that showed we are back no rebuild.
Then the next week went to New York and got beat bye Danny Devito.
Then made the playoff offs a kick away / special team play away to the NFC championship game which we would have won in Detroit.
That’s this team one week good. One week not so good and one week oh boy week…
When do we put 3 good years together with all this talent on the team and hammer some teams.
The o line in flux.
The defense has to be the leaders till the o line is back that’s when we win Super Bowls with both but mostly Defense.
I would say we had one good game the 1st one. The commanders game the guy missed two FG that would turn that game around.
Need to put some games together.
The cowboys game bad defense on both sides. No way we lose to that team. I guess we didn’t we tied which is a L basically
The offense trick play crap save it. Don’t show your stuff this early in the season.
Things changed when Reed went out.
Wicks needs a big game they can’t cover him.
Golden also…
8 home games 9 on the road
Needed those 2 on the road. Now that much tougher on the road.
ricky
October 07, 2025 at 09:04 pm
This is all too true. All the advantages seem to be for the Packers. Playing at home, the starting QB for the Bengals out, and a defense that can't seem to stop anyone. But the Bengals are still made up of individuals, have some excellent WR's and if the Packers defense can't stop the run, this could be a long afternoon. Then again, the Packers defense has had one bad game. So has the offense. If the coaches can instill some fear and resolve into their players, this could be the easy game some are predicting. However, I have lost faith in Butkus as OL coach. The team needs to find a way to convince Stenavich to take the dual titles of OC and OL coach. If he gets paid more, as long as the results are there, who cares?
After the way they've played, the team should not be overconfident. And the message needs to be sent that until the final whistle blows, and you have more points than your opponent, nothing else matters.
SwedeBayPacker
October 07, 2025 at 11:44 pm
A get-right game after a bye that on paper the Packers should win with minor difficulty?
Ruh-roh.
BuckyBadger
October 08, 2025 at 12:36 am
I have defended the regime recently but if we lose to Joe Flacco twice in three weeks on different teams I want everyone fired. Last time he had limited weapons but one of the best units in football with the Browns D. Now he has weapons but a defense that Army could put 40pts on. Cinci's OL is awful so the pass rush better get there. Can't under perform twice in a row vs good match ups. I think they even cover the 14 but the Packers are in betting purgatory for me after the Cowboys game.
My concerns are the WRs vs our corners. If the Bengals get Chase Brown going Chase can be deadly if the Safety is looking in the backfield. Micah, LVN and Gary need to reek havoc on the statue they picked up for a QB (said that 3 weeks ago).
barutanseijin
October 08, 2025 at 05:53 am
Did Micah et al not reek of havoc in the Cowboy game? Maybe it was the Cowboy OL that put the stench on them, or maybe Matt Lafleur’s toilet tissue softness eroded their Purity of Essence. Anyway, People Must be Fired!