Changes in the air as Bengals close disappointing season

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Wide receiver A.J. Green, tight end Tyler Eifert and left guard Clint Boling will miss the Bengals’ final game with injuries.

And several others, including 11-year veteran Andrew Whitworth, are wondering if it’ll be their final game with the Bengals when they host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday with little at stake.

“All season long I’ve put this game out of my mind just because of that,” Whitworth said on Tuesday. “It’d be tough for it to be the last time you run out there — here.

“I think it’s definitely in the back of your mind. You try to keep it there until the game is over, and you play the way you want to play.”

The Bengals’ playoffs chances ended with a 24-20 loss to the Steelers on Dec. 18 at Paul Brown Stadium. A 12-10 loss in Houston on Saturday night left them 5-9-1 , their worst record since a 4-12 finish in 2010.

The Ravens (8-7) also were eliminated by the Steelers, who clinched the AFC North title with a 31-27 victory on Sunday.

The Bengals are missing the playoffs for the first time in six years, while the Ravens are eliminated for the third time in four years.

Cincinnati placed Eifert and Boling on injured reserve on Monday, ending their seasons. Eifert missed the first six games of the season while recovering from offseason ankle surgery and a back injury, and he reinjured his back last week. Boling hurt his left shoulder on Sept. 29, but continued playing though the injury.

Green severely strained his right hamstring on Nov. 20 and hadn’t played, but had a good week of practice and accompanied the team to Houston expecting to be active for the game. He was listed as questionable.

After a meeting between the coaching staff, the medical staff and the front office in Houston, the club decided to hold him out.

Coach Marvin Lewis said after the game that another scan of Green’s hamstring during the week found that it wasn’t completely healed.

When Green was told he wouldn’t play in the game on Christmas Eve, he requested and received permission to fly home to be with his family.

Whitworth is one of 15 Bengals who could become free agents in the offseason. Lewis has a year left on his contract and has indicated he plans to return.

After keeping the core of its team intact the past few years, Cincinnati could be looking at more sweeping changes in the offseason, particularly on a defense that’s among the oldest in the league. For some of them, it’ll be their final game in a striped helmet.

“I don’t want to think like that,” said cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, a potential free agent.

NOTES: Boling was inactive for the game at Houston. The Bengals compensated by moving Cedric Ogbuehi to left tackle and moving Whitworth into Boling’s spot. Jake Fisher started at right tackle. Ogbuehi and Fisher gave up sacks. Whitworth said on Tuesday that he hadn’t yet heard about the line’s configuration for the final game. “Hopefully I’ll be back at tackle,” Whitworth said. … WR Jake Kumerow and LB Trevor Roach were signed to the roster. Kumerow spent last season on the practice squad. Roach played in the first three games this season and was moved to the practice squad.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) is sacked by Houston Texans’ Whitney Mercilus (59) during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Houston. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/12/web1_114273585-f6af1426967f44ca82f1970e8bf21cc4.jpgCincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) is sacked by Houston Texans’ Whitney Mercilus (59) during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Houston. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) is sacked by Houston Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus (59) during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Houston. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/12/web1_114273585-7275bbec71d84f8785e0829a69f5f33a.jpgCincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) is sacked by Houston Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus (59) during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Houston. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)

Houston Texans’ A.J. Bouye (21) celebrates after Cincinnati Bengals kicker Randy Bullock (4) missed a field as time expired in an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Houston. The Texans won 12-10. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/12/web1_114273585-f1bc0e3105df4386bb4c9acf6f0e8351.jpgHouston Texans’ A.J. Bouye (21) celebrates after Cincinnati Bengals kicker Randy Bullock (4) missed a field as time expired in an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Houston. The Texans won 12-10. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)

BALTIMORE (8-7) VS. CINCINNATI (5-9-1)

By The Associated Press

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

OPENING LINE — Bengals by 5 ½

RECORD VS. SPREAD —Baltimore 7-7-1, Cincinnati 5-9-1

SERIES RECORD — Ravens lead 21-20

LAST MEETING — Ravens beat Bengals 19-14, Nov. 27

LAST WEEK — Steelers beat Ravens 31-27; Texans beat Bengals 12-10

AP PRO32 RANKING — Ravens No. 12 (tie), Bengals No. 25

RAVENS OFFENSE — OVERALL (18), RUSH (26), PASS (11).

RAVENS DEFENSE — OVERALL (5), RUSH (2), PASS (10).

BENGALS OFFENSE — OVERALL (14), RUSH (17), PASS (16).

BENGALS DEFENSE — OVERALL (17), RUSH (22), PASS (11).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Both teams were eliminated from playoff contention by AFC North champion Steelers in last two weeks. … Ravens haven’t won in Cincinnati since 2011, are 2-6 at Paul Brown Stadium under coach John Harbaugh. … Victory would give Ravens seventh winning record in nine years under Harbaugh. … K Justin Tucker made four FGs in earlier win over Bengals, including 52, 57 and 54 yards in first half. He became ninth in NFL history with three FGs from 50 yards in a game. … Tucker needs one more 50-yarder to move ahead of Blair Walsh for NFL season record with 11. Tucker has 37 FGs overall, one shy of his club record. Needs three to become third kicker in NFL history with 40. … Mike Wallace (984 yards, 68 catches) needs 16 yards for third career 1,000-yard season and 12th in Ravens history. … Dennis Pitta needs one catch to move ahead of Todd Heap for single-season reception record by Ravens TE with 76. … Entering what could be his finale, WR Steve Smith has 51 games with at least 100 yards, tied with Andre Johnson and Terrell Owens for fourth in NFL history. … QB Joe Flacco has topped 4,000 yards passing for first time and needs 128 more to break Vinny Testaverde’s club record of 4,177 from 1996. … Ravens lead NFL with 18 interceptions. … Bengals missing out on playoffs for first time in six years. Haven’t won postseason game since 1990 season, sixth-longest streak in NFL history. … WR A.J. Green won’t play because of strained right hamstring. Has missed most of last seven games, but will still likely finish as team leader in catches (66) and yards (964). He finishes 36 yards shy of joining Randy Moss as only NFL players with 1,000 yards receiving in each of first six seasons. … QB Andy Dalton needs 314 yards passing to top his club season record of 4,293 in 2013. … Fantasy Tip: In six career games against Bengals, Smith has at least 100 yards four times, including 186 yards in game last season.

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