The Cincinnati Bengals are the only club in the AFC that is unafraid of the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Bengals cannot claim to own the Chiefs, they have fared well against the two-time defending Super Bowl champs.
The Bengals and Joe Burrow defeated the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes three times in 2022 before the Chiefs responded with two victories the following year. A quarterback who has managed to acquire a little advantage over Mahomes is definitely deserving of maximum respect throughout the NFL.
The Bengals are a good squad, but they battled for much of the season, finishing 9-8. That wasn’t good enough to make the playoffs, as the Bengals finished last in the AFC Central.
While that demonstrates how competitive the division is, with the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns all establishing themselves, the main reason for their absence from the playoffs was Burrow’s overall health.
He had a strained calf early in training camp, forcing him to miss the most of the team’s summer workouts, followed by a wrist injury that kept him out of the lineup for the final seven games of the season.
While Burrow is the team’s focal point, the Bengals have a talented club that should be able to win the division and even get to the Super Bowl.
The Bengals boast one of the most gifted wide receiver duos. Ja’Marr Chase is an outstanding No. 1 receiver, while Tee Higgins is nearly as good and certainly an ideal No. 2 receiver.
Chase is coming off a fantastic season in which he grabbed 100 passes for 1,216 yards and seven scores, while Higgins caught 42 passes for 656 yards and five touchdowns in a season cut short by injuries. He had at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of the previous two seasons.
In addition to those two, tight end Mike Gesicki provides another receiving option for Burrow, particularly on third-down situations.
If former Colt Zack Moss can provide a strong running game for Burrow, the Bengals have the potential to have one of the league’s most entertaining offenses.
The Bengals struggled on defense throughout much of the 2023 season, finishing 31st in yards allowed and 28th in passing yards allowed. They were slightly stronger at keeping opponents from scoring, allowing 22.6 points per game. That figure placed 21st in the league.
Despite their flaws, they have some incredible ability. Trey Hendrickson, a three-time Pro Bowler, led the Bengals with 17.5 sacks. There’s no reason to believe he won’t match or even come close to that mark this season.
The Bengals signed safety Geno Stone in free agency. He had seven interceptions last season for the Baltimore Ravens and acquired a take-charge attitude. The Bengals expect him to deliver dependable play and leadership.
The burrow must come through.
Burrow is unquestionably the team’s greatest and most essential player. Burrow’s track record shows that he has been exceptional over the first four years of his career and deserves to be regarded among the finest quarterbacks in the league.
Burrow took over as the Bengals’ starting quarterback for his debut season in 2020. He started ten games that season, threw for 2,688 yards, and had a 13-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
He hit his stride in Year 2, guiding the Bengals to the Super Bowl after completing 366 of 520 passes for 4,611 yards and a 34-14 touchdown-interception ratio. He was nearly as good in 2022, throwing for 4,475 yards and 35 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.
In addition to the numbers, Burrow possesses all of the tools required to lead the Bengals to a title. He is powerful, athletic, runs well, and can locate open receivers after protection breaks down.
Burrow faces significant pressure to stay fit and consistently generate championship-level performances. He has shown in the past that he can compete with Mahomes, and he will have that opportunity in Week 2 on the road and potentially again in the playoffs.
