2022 NFL Offseason Review Series: Cincinnati Bengals

Good Morning, r/nfl! u/dannynascar here, with my first ever Offseason Review of your defending AFC Champions, the Cincinnati Bengals!

With the Bengals being one of the most exciting young teams in the league, I hope all fans; Bengals fans or fans of other teams enjoy this review!

DISCLAIMER: This post is really, really long. (I'm a Journalist, so I like to write. Oops.) So if anyone is interested in a TL;DR version let me know, I can whip one up.

One final thing before we dive right in; I will be very straightforward with everyone that it is very hard not to be very bias about this Bengals team. It has never been a more exciting time to be a Bengals fan, so I will do my best to be as neutral as possible in my review.

Finally thank you to u/PlatypusOfDeath for organizing this once again this year and for allowing me to do the Bengals write-up!

Link to Hub

​

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Division: AFC North

Result: 10-7, 1st AFC North, AFC Champions; Lost Super Bowl LVI to the Los Angeles Rams, 23-20

Coaching Changes

One of the integral parts to this fast-paced rebuild under Head Coach Zac Taylor has been consistency in his coaching staff. The Bengals HC Taylor, Offensive Coordinator Brian Callahan, and Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo are all entering their fourth year together. All three of these coaches have been here since Taylor's appointment in 2019, and that consistency shows, wether it be the unity between the players on the field or the camaraderie in the locker room.

2021 was a boom or bust year for Taylor and his staff, as another losing season and trip to the cellar of the AFC North would've all but wrote them a one-way ticket out of Cincinnati. But instead, the exact opposite happened and it all finally came together for the coaching staff. The re-addition of offensive line coach and run game coordinator Frank Pollock made a difference as well, even if the line was still one of the worst in the league. (It pays to have a guy under center likehttps://thespun.com/.image/t_share/MTg3NDI1NjQ1MDAwNDAyNzAz/joe-burrow.png.)

In terms of additions for 2022, the Bengals brought in James Bettcher from San Francisco as the new Linebackers Coach, and Charles Burks from Miami as the new secondary/corner backs coach. Burks will be paired with secondary/safeties coach Robert Livingston, who has been with the Bengals organization for 8 years. Maybe Burks can convince Eli Apple to finally stay off of Twitter after games.

​

Free Agency

Departures

All contract figures provided by OverTheCap

​

Player	Position	New Team	Contract
C.J. Uzomah	TE	New York Jets	3 years, $24 million
Larry Ogunjobi	DT	Pittsburgh Steelers	1 year, (up to) $8 million
Auden Tate	WR	Atlanta Falcons	1 year, $1.1 million
Wyatt Ray	IDL	Jacksonville Jaguars	1 year, $865k
Trey Hopkins	C	FA	N/A
Quinton Spain	OG	FA	N/A
Trae Waynes	CB	Thank God	He's Gone

​

Following the loss in the Super Bowl, all attention immediately turned to free agency for the Bengals, while the front office managed to keep most of the AFC Champion roster in tact. Luckily in terms of departures, little damage was done. However, there was one departure that hurt the locker room more than the on-field performance. Starting tight end C.J. Uzomah left the Bengals for the New York Jets (who love to poach our players, for some reason: see Carl Lawson and Tyler Kroft), where he recieved a 3 year, $24 million contract. Uzomah was more than just the TE, he was the longest tenured non-special teams player on the roster, and one of the team leaders. Uzomah was a voice of reason in the locker room, and a fan-favorite. Uzomah was expected by everyone outside of the Bengals inner circle, so his departure was a shock to many. The last memory of C.J. in a Bengals uniform for many will be him ripping off his knee brace at the Super Bowl pep rally. He will be VERY missed by all Bengals players and fans alike.

On the other end of the spectrum, Larry Ogunjobi was a on a one-year prove-it deal with the Bengals in 2021, and he definitely proved it. Ogunjobi was one of the pillars of the Bengal's defensive line renaissance in 2021, but unfortunately had his season cut short in the playoffs when he broke his foot against the Raiders. Ogunjobi was quick to sign a big contract with the Chicago Bears at the beginning of the free agency window, but then he failed his physical due to said foot, and was once again a free agent. Due to the concerns about his health, Ogunjobi remained unsigned. Many Bengals fans took to twitter airing out their hopes that the defensive lineman would re-sign with his old team, but then he signed a one year deal with the Steelers. (A trip to the Ravens roster and Ogunjobi gets a free toaster!)

Auden Tate was a solid red zone target for the Bengals, but ultimately ended up falling down the depth chart in a crowded receiving room, only catching one touchdown in 2021, against the Lions. He opted to not return to the Bengals and signed with the Falcons. Falcons fans can be excited to have a very large presence on the outside in red zone situations for Mariota or Desmond Ridder.

Oh yeah, then there's Trae Waynes. One of the big signings during Zac Taylor's first free agency class, he quite simply did NOT work out. He missed the entire first year of his contract injured, and then lost the CB2 job to Eli Apple in 2021 training camp. He then got injured again, came back, played in four games, sucked, then got hurt again. He was cut as a cap casualty and is the one and only blemish on an almost perfect free agent record for Zac Taylor. Good riddance.

Re-Signings

Player	Position	Contract
B.J. Hill	IDL	3 years, $30 million
Eli Apple	CB	1 year, $4 million
Tre Flowers	CB	1 year, $1.85 million
Thad Moss	TE	1 year, $705k

When it came to re-signing this offseason, the Bengals did not have to be all that active, as a majority of the roster was already under contract for 2022 and beyond. Despite this, there was a few pieces that Duke Tobin and co. wanted to keep in stripes for the foreseeable future, viewing them as integral components in the Bengals Super Bowl run:

B.J. Hill - as soon as the Bengals knew that Larry Ogunjobi would not be returning to the Bengals in 2022, the front office made quick work of re-signing the other addition the Bengals made to the interior of the defensive line last season in Hill. Despite only starting two games during the regular season, Hill managed to accumulate five and a half sacks, (almost matching his career number in three years with the Giants: 7.5), combined for 50 tackles, and 12 QB hits. This is not including Hill's playoff performance after the aforementioned foot injury to Ogunjobi; which includes his interception of Patrick Mahomes in the AFC Championship game, one of the biggest plays of the year. Hill's performance in the playoffs probably sealed his 3 year, $30 million dollar contract from the Bengals. Hill was acquired in a late offseason trade for former Bengals first-round pick Billy Price, what a hell of a trade that ended up being.

Eli Apple - what's interesting about this re-signing is that it was rewarded for good play. Yes, you read that correctly; Eli Apple actually had a pretty good season for the Bengals in 2021. After playing in just two total games in 2020 for the Carolina Panthers and further solidifying his status as a draft bust, Apple was picked up by the Bengals to be a depth piece behind the injury-riddled Trae Waynes. When Waynes got hurt (again), it meant Apple was thrusted into the starting role opposite Chidobe Awuzie on the outside. Bengals fans were pleased to see Apple turn in by far the best year of his career, grabbing two interceptions (matching his career high) and he made a game-changing stop of Tyreek Hill in the waining moments of the first half in the AFC Championship game. This stop turned the tide for the Bengals in that game and was one of the plays that more than likely sent the Bengals to LA. Unfortunately for Eli, Awuzie was out for a for some of the second half in the Super Bowl, meaning that he had to cover Cooper Kupp. We all know how that turned out for him and the team. But, this wasn't necessarily Apple's fault, and the Bengals still rewarded him with another one year, $4 million dollar contract. Apple will almost certainly be in a training camp battle to solidify himself as the starting CB2 with rookie Cam Taylor-Britt, but we will cover that later.

Tre Flowers - Flowers, picked up off of waivers by the Bengals mid-season in 2021, was an integral, yet quiet part of the Bengals defensive strategy throughout the rest of the season and during the playoffs. Flowers was tasked with almost exclusively covering big, athletic tight ends among the likes of Travis Kelce (twice), Mark Andrews (twice), Darren Waller (twice) and others. The bottom line is, there was a reason why Travis Kelce did absolutely nothing against the Bengals defense in the second half of both games, both regular season and AFC championship: it was due to Flower's coverage. This was enough to impress the Bengals front office, and they rewarded him with another one-year contract to continue to be an important part of the pass defense.

Thad Moss - Moss is an interesting re-signing, mostly because of his name and his relationship with Joe Burrow. Moss, the son of all-time great Randy Moss, is a big tight end that showed flashes of brilliance on that 2019 LSU Tigers offense. Moss has spent all but a few games of his Bengals career on the practice squad, and never saw action under C.J. Uzomah and Drew Sample. But, Moss will have the chance to clinch a roster spot with the back up TE battle in camp after Uzomah's departure. If he can prove that he still has that chemistry with Burrow, he could see some action in 2022. One can assume this one-year deal was probably requested by QB9. I am interested to see if Moss can finally make an impact in the NFL.

Additions

Player	Position	Former Team	Contract
La'El Collins	OT	Dallas Cowboys	3 years, $30 million
Alex Cappa	OG	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	4 years, $40 million
Ted Karras	OG/C	New England Patriots	3 years, $18 million
Hayden Hurst	TE	Atlanta Falcons	1 year, $3.5 million

Over the last two seasons, the Bengals have seemingly struck gold on all but one of their major free agent signings. Therefore, after another year in which Bengals fans had to cringe every time Joe Burrow did more than a two-step drop in the pocket, the Bengals addressed their most glaring issue by spending a total of $88 million on three new starting lineman.

In 2021, Burrow was sacked a whopping 51 times in the regular season, and then an additional 19 times in the post season; bringing the total over the course of the season to 70, third most all-time. This was especially bad considering Burrow was coming off of a devastating knee injury during his rookie season. Despite this, Burrow still managed to put up huge numbers and solidfy himself as one of the best young QB's in the league; including the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. Unfortunately, Burrow's play was not enough to overcome the Rams incredible defensive line in the second half of Super Bowl LVI. As a result, Bengals fans will forever remember the final play of the game, and will always wonder "what if." Ja'Marr Chase was wide open streaking down the sideline after Jalen Ramsey fell over, but Burrow was hit before he could throw the ball.

So, the Bengals spent on new, proven veterans to solidify the right side of the offensive line for Burrow, and they spent big.

La'El Collins - talk about a wild ride during the offseason for Bengals fans; the main topic of conversation throughout the early spring was wether the then Cowboys RT Collins would be traded for. The Bengals could've given up a few future draft picks and other assets to acquire Collins, but the front office made the right decision and waited until the Cowboys cut the former all-pro.

Collins was then promptly brought in for a visit with coaching staff, tour of the facilities, conversations with the FO, a shopping trip to nearby Kenwood Mall and finally, a night in with Joe "The Closer" Burrow, who treated his then-prospective right guard to crackers and cupcakes.

It wasn't long after that Collins was signed to a three year, $30 million dollar contract, and Joe Burrow's new "bodyguard" will be expected to play at a level that the Bengals haven't had at tackle since Andrew Whitworth.

Alex Cappa - within minutes of the free agency window opening, the Bengals were already on the board with their first signing in the veteran right guard Alex Cappa. The former Buc brings an aggressive play style that will fit in nicely with Frank Pollack's affection for "glass eaters" on his line. Cappa is consistent in terms of play (he hasn't missed a game in two years), penalties (none in 2021, only four in four years) and he will be a leader on the line. A perfect fit for Pollack's scheme, and a perfect fit for a much needed right guard.

Ted Karras - after the announcement of Cappa, it didn't take long for the news of Karras' signing to be announced. Karras is another veteran that will take over full-time center duties from the recently released Trey Hopkins. Much like Cappa, this was another Pollack personal choice. Karras will be an aggressive and consistent blocker in both the running and passing game, while also serving as the de-facto leader of the offensive line. The contract given to the former Patriot and Dolphin may be viewed by some as an overpay, but Karras seems like another great fit in the Bengals quest to solidify their front five on offense.

Hayden Hurst - the departure of C.J. Uzomah in free agency left a glaring hole at the tight end position, especially considering Drew Sample shows no signs of becoming a solid NFL starter. So, after the line and holes defensive side of the ball was taken care of in FA, fans wondered wether the Bengals would attack the TE hole in free agency or the draft. The answer was in free agency, as the Bengals signed former Ravens first-round pick Hayden Hurst. Hurst, overshadowed by other tight ends such as Mark Andrews and Kyle Pitts, will have the opportunity to serve as a consistent safety valve for Joe Burrow in the passing game. Bengals fans will be pleased to learn that Hurst put up similar numbers to Uzomah's 2021 season in 2020, when he was the primary TE for Matt Ryan. Hurst is an all-around team player and wants to prove himself in his first year with the Bengals, making him a solid fit to replace the former heart of the locker room in Uzomah.

​

Projected 2022 Starting Lineup

Offense

QB - Joe Burrow

RB - Joe Mixon

WR's - Ja'Marr Chase (1), Tee Higgins (1B), Tyler Boyd (SLOT)

I wanted to get these three out of the way real quick and easy, because there's no need for an in-depth write-up here. This is one of, if not the best skill-position group in the entire league. Burrow and co. are expected to be high-powered and sling the ball all over the field. With the all-new offensive line, the offense is expected to be even better than last years.

TE's - Hayden Hurst (1), Drew Sample (2)

The main TE spot now belongs to Hurst, and he is expected to flourish in this Bengals passing attack. Sample is a good bet to still have the second roster spot on lock, but improvement is still to be seen from the fourth-year player. He is primarily a run blocker, but sees some passing action in specific sets. Another thing to watch for here is the camp competition between Mitchell Wilcox, Thad Moss, Scotty Washington and Nick Eubanks for the third and final roster spot. Wilcox should have the edge, as he has been dependable in the past, but Moss has the Burrow-chemistry card in his back pocket.

LT - Jonah Willams

Cincinnati picked up William's fifth-year option this offseason, and while Williams has not developed into the game-changing left tackle he was thought to be, the Alabama product is consistent and dependable, making him the one and only holdover from last year's line to have his spot secure.

LG - Jackson Carmen

This spot comes down to Carmen and rookie Cordell Volson, but I'll give the nod to Carmen coming out of camp. As long as the former Clemson Tiger can keep his head on straight, he should have the edge over Volson based on in-game experience alone. However, I would not be shocked to see the fourth round pick supplement Carmen at this position once the season gets rolling.

This is the only question mark spot on the entire line, which is a really, really good thing.

C - Ted Karras

Karras was brought in this offseason to take over center duties from Trey Hopkins, and Karras brings a winning mentality from his years with the Patriots. His leadership and experience makes him one of the most important components to protecting Joe in the backfield.

RG - Alex Cappa

The first piece of the offensive line rebuild, Cappa is everything the Bengals wanted and needed at the LG position, which was the weakest link on a terrible line last season. Cappa will immediately make a difference; he brings consistency, intelligence and elite pass protection to the line. He has this spot locked up for years to come.

RT - La'El Collins

The crown jewel of the Bengals offensive line rebuild, Collins is expected to get back to his previous form after an overall down year, on and off the field in 2021. (His "down" year was better than anyone we had on the right side of the line last year, shocker I know.) Collins made his intentions clear quickly after signing with Cincinnati, and "the bodyguard" will bring protection in pass coverage that will make Joe Burrow smile ear to ear.

Defense

Defensive Line - Trey Hendrickson DE, Sam Hubbard DE, D.J. Reader NT, B.J. Hill DT

This Bengals defensive line made a lot of noise last season, led by Hendrickson, who silenced the "one year wonder" crowd with an 2021 outstanding season featuring 14 sacks, 34 combined tackles and one of the highest pass rush win-rates in the entire league. The hometown kid Sam Hubbard may not be as flashy or consistent as Hendrickson, but he is a solid piece opposite of Hendrickson in both pass rush and run defense.

B.J. and D.J. will be the interior part of the line, and were both very good in 2021 at getting after the quarter back, and in sealing off running lanes in the defense. Reader is an important part of the defense, especially in the running game; while he was not the one that made the tackle, he played a huge role in the 4th and goal stop of Derrick Henry in the AFC Divisional round. Hill was originally under Larry Ogunjobi, but was very effective in the playoffs after Ogunjobi's foot injury and proved that he can be a very dependable starter.

Linebackers - Logan Wilson, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Germaine Pratt

The Bengals linebacking corps is a sneaky deep group with solid depth and consistent play. Wilson had one of the more underrated seasons for a linebacker last year, where he had four different interceptions, including a two interception game against the Steelers, 100 combined tackles, and a sack. On top of it all, Wilson played a majority of the back half of the season and in the playoffs with a shoulder injury, which also kept him out for three weeks.

Speaking of injuries, ADG was having a very solid second season as a starter at the outside linebacker position before it was cut short due to a foot injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Prior to the injury, the Appalachian State product combined for 59 tackles on the season.

Germaine Pratt is kind of a difficult player to get a consistent read on, as some games he looks like a solid starter, and in others he looks completely lost. This is the final year of Pratt's rookie deal, and the consensus in the Cincinnati media is that he will not be receiving a second contract, so this very well could be his final year in stripes. If it is, Pratt will forever be celebrated as the player that finally broke the Cincinnati curse with his interception of Derek Carr in the wild card game. "Playoff P" will probably never have to buy his own beer in the Queen City again.

Cornerbacks - Chidobe Awuzie CB1, Eli Apple CB2, Mike Hilton SC (slot)

The self-proclaimed "Cleanup Crew" of the Cincinnati defense is often pointed to as the main component that steered the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI, and rightfully so. The trio of Awuzie, Apple, and Hilton were dominant in the playoffs, shutting down receivers such as Darren Waller, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown, Hunter Renfrow and Julio Jones.

Looking past the insane performance in the playoffs however, these three, who were all in their first years with the Bengals, proved that they were worth their contracts and then some in the regular season. Awuzie was brought over from Dallas on a team-friendly deal. The front office was hoping that a change of scenery for the veteran corner would prove to be beneficial. It's safe to say that it was. Awuzie had a very impressive season as the Bengals CB1, putting together the best season of his career, generating 0.45 WAR (11th among all cornerbacks). Awuzie's bread and butter lies in his coverage in zone packages, where he recorded 14 passing stops in zone, ranking second for all outside corners.

Eli Apple also turned in the best season of his career, trying to get that "draft bust" monkey off of his back. While Apple still sometimes shows why he earned that moniker (go look at the end of the Super Bowl again), he proved to be a very consistent and solid starter opposite of Awuzie. For his 2021 performance, Apple was rewarded with another one year contract (I talked about that earlier), and will be in a training camp battle with second round pick Cam Taylor-Britt for the CB2 position. I think Apple will keep his starting job out of camp, but could be usurped by the rookie as the season goes along. If Apple can improve, then the Bengals truly did find a diamond that just needed to be polished in Apple.

Now.....if he could just stay off of Twitter.

Meanwhile, Mike Hilton was everything he was advertised to be and then some. The former division rival came over from the Steelers to the tune of a nice 4 year, $24 million dollar deal. Hilton was one of the most consistent players on the Bengals defense all season, racking up 66 tackles, a 71% completion percentage against on 85 targets (I know that sounds high but he was targeted more than he ever had been in his career, by a large margin), he only gave up 4 touchdowns, and had three total interceptions. One of those was this pick-6 of the leader of men, sending Paul Brown Stadium into a frenzy.

Safeties - Vonn Bell, Dax Hill, Jesse Bates III (?)

Special Teams

Kicker - Evan McPherson

McPherson has this spot on lock for years and years to come. The Florida prospect proved to be worth the fifth-round pick and then some. If you look past that really ugly game against the Packers, then McPherson had the most dominant season by a rookie kicker ever. He was automatic down the stretch, kicking the game winning field goal in 3 of the Bengals last 6 games. This included his now famous "Looks like were going to the AFC Championship" line before he kicked the 52 yarder to beat the Titans.

McPherson will continue to be a huge asset in the Bengals offense, and has already cemented himself as one of the elite kickers in the game.

Punter - Kevin Huber

The Cincinnati-born player will overtake Ken Anderson for most career appearances in a Bengals uniform this season, assuming he beats out Drue Chrisman for one last hurrah. Huber isn't as consistent as he once was, but can still get the job done when called upon. This may be his final season, so hopefully the Bengals can send him off into the sunset with another shot at a title.

Kick Returner - Chris Evans (RB), Punt Returner - Trent Taylor (WR)

Both return positions are up for grabs in training camp amongst a lot of different players, but I will stick with the two who had the role last year, as both were reliable in their protection of the ball and didn't make any mistakes. (I'm looking at you, Darius Phillips.)

Evans also will be on the roster as RB3 and is elusive in open space, making him a solid choice for kick returner. Taylor sees limited action as a wide receiver and would be taking up a roster spot if chose for this role, but he has shown to be vital in specific situations, such as the two-point conversion play in the AFC Championship.

Schedule Predictions

Well, here goes nothing. I feel like the final record is probable, but I probably will have who we win to and who we will lose to all wrong. I also I absolutely hope I don't eat my words here.

To decide each game, I tried my best to throw all bias out the window (I'm not totally innocent, but I wasn't going to predict 15-2 like my heart so desired) and factored in each game and how the Bengals matched up with them.

(* denotes prime time game)

Week 1 - vs Pittsburgh Steelers, 34-17 W (1-0)

What a way to open a new season, one filled with so much optimism and hope; at home against those damn Squealers. The Bengals will be going for four in a row against Pittsburgh. PBS will definitely be sold out and louder than ever. The Steelers will probably trot out Mitch "Kissin' Titties" Trubisky, and I don't think this is very close. Bengals by two touchdowns in a great way to start the season.

Week 2 - @ Dallas Cowboys, 34-31 L (1-1)

I was torn on what to predict here, but this seems like a patented Bengals week two loss. The Bengals have never faired well in Jerry's World, at all. I do think it will be close, a battle between Dak and Joe to see who can throw the most touchdowns. In the end, I think Dallas' defense (specifically the secondary) has the edge over the Bengals counterpart and that's the deciding factor in this one.

Week 3 - @ New York Jets, 27-21 W (2-1)

Bengals fans everywhere cower in fear at the thought of having to play Mike fuckin' White again. Thankfully, this time it's early enough in the year to assume Zach "Chad" Wilson be hurt. I do think it will be closer than most think, but the Bengals simply have a better roster. Sadly for C.J. Uzomah, Carl Lawson, Tyler Kroft and Sauce Gardner; they will have no homecoming happiness, only sadness.

Week 4 - vs Miami Dolphins*, 21-17 W (3-1)

The first of a record five primetime games for the Bengals this season, at home against the Dolphins on Thursday night. Joe meets his old foe Tua Turndaballova for the first time at the NFL level, and the Bengals will induct their second class into the Ring of Honor. The Bengals have not faired very well in recent years against Miami, and they have that damn Cheetah now. But I think this time the tides turn on the Fins. Bengals in a close, competitive game.

Hopefully Amazon's broadcast is better than NFL Networks was.

Week 5 - @ Baltimore Ravens*, 34-31 W (4-1)

This is a date that Bengals fans have circled on their calendar. Sunday Night Football in Baltimore. Battle of the obnoxious Twitter stans. It's been an all out war on social media between Bengals and Ravens fans since Joe Burrow destroyed the Ravens to the tune of a whopping 941 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 1 interception in both matchups last season. Wink Martindale is no longer there to piss off Joe, and the Ravens will (most likely) finally be healthy. It's put up or shut up time for both teams, and their fans. I genuinely think these two will be neck and neck for the AFC North crown all season. The only difference separating these two insanely talented teams is at the Wide Receiver position, and I think that's the difference in this one.

Week 6 - @ New Orleans Saints, 24-14 W (5-1)

This matchup is a really special one for both teams. Who Dat vs Who Dey, and the homecoming of Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase. Unlike the game from last week, these two teams have formed a bond since we became LSU North. I really like this matchup for a lot of different reasons. Jameis is underrated and looked good before he got hurt dancing or something like that last season. But, I just can't get over how Joe's mentality makes him rise to the occasion in moments like these (when he's not getting tortured by Aaron Donald in the Super Bowl) and he pulls out a closer-than-it-looks win in NOLA. Who Dey forever.

Week 7 - vs Atlanta Falcons, 41-17 W (6-1)

The Bengals roll into PBS on a tear to start the season and face a roster that's, well, just not very good. This feels like a patented Bengals trap game, but so did that Lions game last season. I'll take the Bengals in a blowout, bringing the winning streak to five.

Week 8 - @ Cleveland Browns, 34-23 L (6-2)

Ah yes, here is that trap game I just mentioned. I can't even fathom Mr. Massage Enthusiast playing in this game, so the Bengals play the team from up North with Jacoby Brisket under center. The Bengals seemingly just cannot beat the Browns, and maybe that was a Baker Mayfield thing, but I think the Browns come in and finally make the Bengals come back down to earth. Brisket has a career game, Chubb just runs all over us for the millionth time, and friends who are Browns can once again talk shit to me for another month or so.

Week 9 - vs Carolina Panthers, 24-17 L (6-3)

Speaking of Baker Mayfield.....when he was finally traded out of the division, Bengals fans rejoiced. The bad man was gone....until we realized he'll play the Bengals at Paul Brown. We simply cannot beat this man; even when he's having his worst season (last year) he will still find a way to look like a damn MVP. Baker does it again, making Bengals fans feel flashbacks to 2015 and the skid the team went on after an amazing start.

Week 10 - BYE

The bye week comes at a perfect time for the Bengals, who have time to regroup and reset after losing two winnable games. Yinzer land awaits....

Week 11 - @ Pittsburgh Steelers*, 33-30 W (7-3)

Heinz Field Uh, sorry, Acrisure Stadium will be a tough place to get the Bengals out of their recent skid. additionally, the Bengals have traditionally never faired well coming out of the bye week, often looking very flat. I do think that's the case here, and the now Kenny Pickett-led Steelers will jump out to a nice lead. But then I think the Bengals pull it back and take this one into overtime, where Evan "Shooter" McAutomatic quiets The Ac.

Week 12 - @ Tennessee Titans, 17-14 L (7-4)

This is going to be a very hostile environment for the Bengals, considering they dashed Nashville's hopes and dreams last season. Just like the previous meeting, this is a defensive battle, a barn-burner, perhaps. I think what this comes down to is a.) Derrick Henry looking for his revenge and b.) this is one game where the Bengals will miss Jessie Bates III, who had Ryan Tannehill's number.

A disappointing loss for the Bengals, as the Ravens continue to put pressure on Cincy for the division title.

Week 13 - vs Kansas City Chiefs, 41-37 W (8-4)

I went back and forth on this one for a while. But I keep going back to the two matchups last year. Not only did the Bengals make Patty Mahomes ineffective in the second half once last year, they did it twice. I don't think that this game goes the same way, however. I think this might be candidate for game of the year, as Burrow and Mahomes keep trading blows. It's hard to get a read on this Chiefs offense without Tyreek Hill, but I still think they'll be damn good, (Mahomes wont regress to the mean) as long as they have Sneaker Head under center. But I still think that the Bengals have the Chiefs number on defense.

Give me Joe Burrow in a really, really good game.

Week 14 - vs Cleveland Browns, 17-13 W (10-5)

The Bengals meet the Browns at home, and look to finally get that Orange and Brown colored Monkey off of their back. This time, Jacoby Brisket shouldn't be at quarterback because the NFL doesn't know the definition of "consent" only "money". So that means it will be Watson at quarterback for the Browns, in what I am sure will be another high-profile division matchup. There's two sides of me here, one that thinks the Browns will sweep the Bengals again, but there's another part of me that thinks Watson is going to struggle in his limited playing time this season. Keep in mind that even with Deshaun on the other side of the ball, the 2-14 Bengals of 2019 beat Deshaun head to head. Now, the Texans weren't that good either, but the Bengals should have the advantage here on offensive weapons talent alone. The main key to this game, (and any game against the Browns) is keeping Nick Chubb at bay. The Bengals finally shut the run game down, forcing Watson to win this one with his arm. Bengals in a very close, AFC North defensive battle.

Week 15 - @ TOMpa Bay Buccaneers, 31-24 L (9-5)

This is probably my favorite matchup of the year, as Joe Burrow takes on the GOAT for the first time. Judging from the podcast they did together in early February, there is a lot of respect between the two, as both have some similarities in the way they play QB. Tampa Tom has home field advantage, and has a loaded roster to boot. It would be easy for me to give this as a W for the Bengals, solidifying Joe Burrow as one of the elite passers in the game, but I just can't count out Brady. Dude just finds a way to win games, and I think he out-duels Joe in this one, which I hope isn't the first and last time they meet.

Week 16 - @ New England Patriots, 17-10 W (10-5)

Cincinnati makes their second of two stops on the New England reunion tour, as they face the hoodie and McCorkle. This game screams cold weather, hard-nose defensive football that is dependent on the running game. So I am going to take the running backs from both teams, and their lines, and see who comes out on top. The Bengals rushing attack is spearheaded by Joe Mixon, while the Pats feature Damien Harris. I'll admit I don't know much about Harris, but he probably is really good, considering it's the Pats. On top of this, both teams have comparable offensive lines according to PFF, so I'll go off on running backs in the end; give me Joedin and the Bengals in another one-score win.

Week 17 - vs Buffalo Bills*, 37-31 W (11-5)

Man, I'll admit this is a total homer pick. I am curious to see how our defense holds up against Josh Allen and this Bills offense. I could go either way on this one, but I do think it will be close. Most fans and media pundits across the country think that if the Bills could've just held on in OT of the divisional round last year, they would've ran the Bengals into the ground in the AFC Championship game. I guess we will kind of find out here.

If I was picking as a non-fan or even with a level head here, I'm taking the Bills. But damn, I want Joe and Co. to come out on top here, so I'll just give up my one homer pick and take the Bengals to beat the Bills in another close one.

Week 18 - vs Baltimore Ravens, 24-12 L (11-6)

I originally had the Bengals winning this matchup, but going off of records in the division, the Bengals should have clinched the AFC North in week 17 with Baltimore a close second. So I am going to give the edge to the Ravens here in a battle of two playoff teams resting their starters.

However, it would be cool to see a showdown between these two for the division title in this game, one that would be on primetime, for sure. Man, Twitter will be toxic for a couple of weeks if that happens.

Final Record: 11-6

Division Finish: 1st AFC North

Playoff Results: Super Bowl or bust (in all seriousness, probably bounced in the divisional round)

So yeah, I kind of just threw stuff at the wall and we will see what sticks. I am prepared to be totally wrong on who we win and lose to, but like I said, 11-6 is a reasonable prediction in my eyes. I could easily see us beating Tennessee and losing in Buffalo instead.

To be honest, anything short of a playoff win would be a disappointing season for the Bengals. Yes, it is extremely difficult to make it back to another Super Bowl the season after losing it, but I do think this team has the talent -- and the Quarterback -- to do it. Now, do I actually think we will make it to Phoenix for LVII? No, probably not. A lot has to fall the teams way, like it did last year. But this is a damn good team, and I think they're really overlooked (somehow) by the media and the oddsmakers in Vegas.

The Bengals vs Ravens battle for the division crown will be really fun to watch, assuming it falls that way. (It probably wont; the Steelers will manage to go 13-4 or something stupid again.)

Here's to hoping we don't look back on this in nine months time and laugh at me!