The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off back-to-back AFC Championship appearances. In 2021, they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs to advance to the Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams. Last year, the Chiefs had the upper hand, and the Bengals were defeated. Cincinnati has tallied at least 10 wins in consecutive years, so let’s look at the best and worst-case scenarios for the team’s 2023-2024 season.
Bengals best-case scenario for 2023
The biggest question surrounding Cincinnati’s season is whether or not the stars can stay healthy. Quarterback Joe Burrow is dealing with an injury that has him questionable for the first week of the season. Let’s say that Burrow and his teammates all stay healthy. Their best-case scenario is returning to the Super Bowl and winning for the first time in franchise history.
The Bengals would have a dominant passing attack after improving their offensive line in the offseason. The defense lost some well-known pieces, but it isn’t enough of a step back to offset how powerful the offense is in this scenario. If this team can stay7 healthy and play to its potential, they should be in line for another deep playoff run.
Bengals worst-case scenario for 2023
The worst-case scenario for the Bengals involves players getting hurt. If Burrow goes down or Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Mixon or Tee Higgins miss significant time, they could be in for a down year. If we leave injuries out of it, the Bengals’ worst-case scenario is arguably a Wild Card playoff team.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens all look like they will be tough to beat his year. The Bengals also have to face the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs. Even in their worst-case scenario, they should be able to make it into at least a Wild Card spot in the playoffs.