They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-17 in an AFC Wild Card Game at Paul Brown Stadium in front of 65,870 fans and they lost their franchise player.
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, who set a team record this year with 32 touchdown passes and recently signed the biggest contract in team history, left the game with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The Bengals announced their goal was to have Palmer back by the beginning of training camp for the 2006 season.
''Unfortunately our season is over,'' said head coach Marvin Lewis of the team's 11-6 record in 
Palmer was forced to leave the game following the Bengals' second offensive play, a 66-yard completion to Chris Henry. After releasing the ball, Palmer was hit in the left knee by former Bengals player and current Steelers defensive lineman Kimo von Oelhoffen. Palmer was taken off the field on a cart.
''The range of emotions when that happened was incredible,'' backup quarterback Jon Kitna said. ''You're excited the big play happened. And as I'm excited I look around and I see somebody laying on the ground. I start looking for Carson, and he's not standing up.''
Kitna played the rest of the game, throwing for 197 yards and a pair of costly second-half interceptions.
Kitna did, however, lead the offense on three scoring drives in the first half, including a seven-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh that gave Cincinnati a 17-7 lead. Overall, the backup quarterback was 14-of-20 in the first half for 109 yards and no interceptions.
The Bengals outgained Pittsburgh 222 yards to 166 in the first half, and Cincinnati held the Steelers' vaunted rushing attack to just 38 yards.
But in the second half, the bottom fell out.
The NFL Playoffs continue as the remaining NFL teams vouch for football supremacy. Who will survive? And who will win Super Bowl XL?
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