NFL
By Jalen Willingham
While coming off the bye at 5-4, the Cincinnati Bengals are currently at the same record that they were coming off the bye last season in 2021, but this time around is being met with totally different circumstances. Last year, the Bengals were in second place in their division along with a nice 2-1 record versus other AFC North teams. In 2022, this is the most competitive the AFC has been in a very long time. While at 5-4, the Bengals are currently in ninth place in the AFC. Their 0-3 record in their AFC North Division isn’t helping their situation at all either. Cincinnati losing 3 games on walk-off field goals may come back to hurt them in the long run.
Coming off the bye week, the Bengals will also have one of the hardest remaining schedules in all of the NFL. Not only will they have to face their divisional opponents once again, 6 of the teams they face are also currently in the playoff picture. Some of their upcoming games include facing a Browns team that they haven’t beaten in three seasons that now has Deshaun Watson back, Titans and Chiefs teams who are both looking for payback after their tough playoff defeats, and a Bills team who is looking for a Super Bowl appearance. You also can’t forget about a Tom Brady led Buccaneers team and a Patriots team with a top-ten defense that should not go overlooked.
Add in that the offense may have to go without star receiver Ja’Marr Chase for some more time and you now have an even uglier situation. The good news is that the defense will soon be getting back nose tackle D.J. Reader. They will need him against the strong rushing attacks of the Titans and Browns especially.
Joe Burrow and this Bengals team will absolutely be tested. Last year was easier due to drastically lower expectations. In 2022, the world is watching. There is no more room for beating themselves or dropping games. We will see who the Cincinnati Bengals really are. The division title may just be locked up for the Baltimore Ravens because they have the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL. A wild card for Cincinnati isn’t out of the question though. Their season and hopes for another playoff run may just come all the way down to January 8th in Week 18 when they face the Baltimore Ravens at home. If the Bengals can pull things together in the second half of the season, it wouldn’t surprise me if that game gets flexed into primetime.
