The Cincinnati Bengals have performed well in the full-season projections during most offseasons.
Given Joe Burrow’s green light and the generally positive response to the team’s offseason, it’s not hard to see the reasons why.
However, not all last-second predictions before Week 1 maintained this sentiment.
Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated, for example, recently changed his mind about how the Bengals fit into the Super Bowl picture:
I initially had the Lions and Bengals in mind as a matchup, but then backtracked a bit. The story of Joe Burrow’s comeback is just a little too simplistic for me. The Bengals suffered some tough losses in free agency, most notably the Lions’ new treasure DJ Reader, and Cincinnati is also bringing in a new offensive coordinator. Burrow is great, but he’s still shaking off a lot of rust and playing in the toughest division in football. I remember following the NFL during the New England Patriots’ dynasty and believing that the AFC would produce a bold and exciting contender every year before New England just sat out the competition and slogged its way into another title game. So, ugh. Picking the Kansas City Chiefs is boring. I get it.
The point that one would try to wish away a modern dynasty like the Patriots will resonate with many fans.
As for the Bengals, there are legitimate concerns about lineup changes as Lou Anarumo looks to bring in several players to replace DJ Reader.
And on offense, aside from health issues (not even Burrows – look at the right tackle position), you have to wonder how Dan Pitcher will do as coordinator alone and if Zac Taylor will join.
The fact that this analysis only knocks the Bengals out of the Super Bowl ultimately shows how highly most people seem to think of the team before Week 1.
