:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/26317069/460791291.0.jpg)
Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton should settle in for a rough offseason.
Maybe only slightly less rough than his final performance of the 2013 season.
Dalton tossed two picks and lost a fumble in San Diego's dominating 27-10 win over the host Bengals in the AFC wild card round of the 2013 playoffs. Going back to Week 17, Dalton turned the ball over nine times in the final eight quarters of Cincinnati's season.
San Diego barely escaped the Chiefs' backups in Week 17, defeating them in overtime to advance to the postseason. However, it looked like the Chargers were the division champions at home on wildcard weekend, and the Bengals were the sixth seed.
It's the Bengals third consecutive one-and-out season, and they extended their winless playoff season streak to 23 years. The last time they won a postseason game was over the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) in 1990.
The Chargers will take on the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Playoffs next weekend.
The loss means the AFC North is no longer with representation in the AFC playoffs. The Steelers and Ravens were eliminated on the final week of the season. At least one AFC North team has won a playoff game in each postseason since 2008. Judging by Cincinnati's recent lack of postseason success, that's simply a fancier way of saying neither Pittsburgh nor Baltimore made the playoffs this year.
