Will Cincinnati Make The Playoffs? (1 Viewer)

[rockaction]

With all the stuff going on in the NFL, I just wanted to ask a basic benchmark question. Will the defending champs of the powerhouse AFC Conference make the playoffs next year. Siimple yes or no, if you want to expound, please feel free! 

 

[Anarchy99]

We could have similar threads on plenty of AFC teams. And I would answer the same for all of them. Tell me which teams will suffer major injuries and I'll take whoever is healthiest for the playoffs. If the Bengals stay healthy, then yes, they should make it. They upgraded one of their biggest issues (OL).

 

[Godsbrother]

I agree the Bengals addressed their biggest issue so they should be favorites to win the AFC North.  That said they were only 10-7 last season so I wouldn't call them a lock either.

 

[IHEARTFF]

voted yes, but man its gonna be tough for anybody. Their edge over AFC West teams is that Pittsburgh is the weakest of the 8 teams and possibly Cleveland for a stretch is weak aslo. Not sure when they play Cleveland.

 

[rockaction]

We could have similar threads on plenty of AFC teams

Yes, we could. I went with Cincinnati because they're reigning champions. 

 

[domvin]

Defense returns largely intact

The 3 OL upgrades will allow Burrow to truly excel this year.    Kid is magnificent with a clean pocket

Hurst at TE is good and Burrow will make any TE better.

 

[bcat01]

If they stay healthy they will.

 

[GreenNGold]

Yes, of course they will. 

 

[rockaction]

It's not that obvious to me. 

You have, in no particular order, Buffalo, Tennessee, Indianapolis, KC, Denver, L.A., Las Vegas, Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, New England, and Miami all as legitimate and immediate contenders. This isn't that cut and dry. Cincinnati lost, at full strength, to a Mike White-led Jets team more than midway through the season. 

They didn't blow the doors off of everybody, that's for sure. 

 

[rockaction]

That's twelve teams vying for seven spots. That leaves, believe it or not, five good teams looking from the outside in. This conference is stacked. Be wary of overconfidence. 

 

[travdogg]

I think it'd be an upset if they didn't win the AFC North. 

 

[Anarchy99]

That's twelve teams vying for seven spots. That leaves, believe it or not, five good teams looking from the outside in. This conference is stacked. Be wary of overconfidence. 

Which is why I suggested that the healthy teams will make it and the ones that have key injuries or who are banged up will not. There is no way of knowing that at this point. It's also still 6 months from live football, there are still plenty of signings and the draft still to go.

 

[The Duff Man]

That's twelve teams vying for seven spots. That leaves, believe it or not, five good teams looking from the outside in. This conference is stacked. Be wary of overconfidence. 

This is leaving out a playoff team that improved at QB. It is ridiculous. We are in for some good football in the AFC with huge games every week. 

 

[JoeJoe88]

I voted yes, but the AFC is a murderer’s row. It’s no guarantee. They should be favored to win the North, but Baltimore will not go away quietly. Maybe even Pitt if Mitch can just be decent. 

 

[rockaction]

This is leaving out a playoff team that improved at QB. It is ridiculous. We are in for some good football in the AFC with huge games every week. 

Who did I leave out? Just curious. Oh, Pittsburgh?

Perhaps Pittsburgh is worthy, but I consider Trubisky to be a parallel move at QB, if not actually a downgrade. I don't see them really improving that much, either. 

 

[rockaction]

Which is why I suggested that the healthy teams will make it and the ones that have key injuries or who are banged up will not. There is no way of knowing that at this point. It's also still 6 months from live football, there are still plenty of signings and the draft still to go.

Yeah, I totally took your point and it was a good one. 

 

[IHEARTFF]

Jacksonville, NYJ, Houston might possibly stink, but more likely they will all just be better teams than they were last year. The Steelers are also currently in that tier of 4 teams very unlikely to make the playoffs, but certainly none of the AFC teams are an auto-win on the schedule this season. 

 

[-OZ-]

If I had to bet on a few AFC teams to make the playoffs, the bengals would be #2 on that list only behind the titans. Partly because the division is weaker than the west, partly because they’re really good teams with good coaches. 
But as already stated, injuries are the key. 

 

[habsfan]

A slow start by any of those teams and it could be over early.

 

[SDJohnny]

I think they make it in AFC North because Deshaun Watson is going to miss a significant portion of the season.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

I don’t remember the exact numbers but I believe the losing super bowl team misses the playoffs the following year more often than not

 

[rockaction]

A slow start by any of those teams and it could be over early.

I dare say you're right. And with the AFC next year, I'll bet it happens that a team that starts slow and is one of the best by the end of the year doesn't make the cut. Too many teams are too good. 

 

[Ghost Rider]

I will say no.  They only won 10 games in the 2021 regular season.  Props to them for taking advantage of the injuries that crippled other teams in their division, but not sure they will be that lucky again, and of course we cannot discount the hangover for the Super Bowl losing team thing. 

 

[Ministry of Pain]

If Watson is suspended and Pittsburgh cannot fill their QB position in '22 and I still feel Baltimore will rebound, they always are overlooked. 

They might have to win the Division, lot of good teams this year. Miami and Buffalo look formidable, you have TN and Indy, 4 teams in the West but they can get in. 

 

[Bracie Smathers]

The 3 OL upgrades will allow Burrow to truly excel this year.    Kid is magnificent with a clean pocket

MOST IMPROVED CINCINNATI BENGALS: OFFENSIVE LINE

Last year nearly everyone was picking the Bengals to finish last in the division.  NO ONE was picking them as a SB team.  Tough to repeat but this year with so much big-talent movement...  impossible to say how everything shakes out RIGHT NOW. 

We will get a better picture after the draft, but we won't know how the talent gels until after camp and preseason but even then, we really won't know. 

The Bengals were overlooked till late last year.