Top 10 most dysfunctional teams in the NFL

7. Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are a good football team. Playing decent football, however, doesn’t mean a team is functioning on all cylinders.

The Bengals used to be a mediocre team in the AFC North, overshadowed by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. From 1989 to 2008, the team had only two winning seasons. The team has had winning seasons and made the playoffs every year since 2011.

Head coach Marvin Lewis is the man responsible for the team’s recent success. Since 2003, he has provided a sense of stability for the team and turned the franchise from a Cleveland Browns-esque disaster into a respectable squad.

The team has one major flaw, however. They are unable to win playoff games.  During Lewis’ tenure, they have made seven playoff appearances, and have lost every single postseason games.

Their 2015 playoff loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers was particularly stunning. In the final quarter, the Steelers trailed the Bengals by one point. As the fourth quarter drew to a close, it appeared the team was on track to win their first playoff game in a quarter century.

Then, the Bengals began the Great Postseason Meltdown. First, Jeremy Hill fumbled, turning the ball over. Then, Vontaze Burfict executed an egregious helmet-to-helmet hit on Antonio Brown, who collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The team incurred a 15-yard penalty, followed by a second 15-yard penalty for Adam Jones’ unsportsmanlike conduct. With 30 yards of help from the Bengals, the Steelers kicked a winning field goal. Fans were sad.

The Bengals are a decent organization, but something is terribly wrong when a coach cannot control his players and the team is incapable of winning a playoff game.

Next: 6. Detroit Lions