For the fifth consecutive season, the Cincinnati Bengals made the postseason. And for the fifth consecutive season, the Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card game. 2015 was their best season under Marvin Lewis, as the Bengals went 12-4, and had the second ranked defense in the league. Andy Dalton got hurt late in the season, so A.J. McCarron started said playoff game and had the Bengals in position to win the game, but the defense self-destructed allowing Pittsburgh to come back and steal the game. Will things be any different in 2016? Only two other teams (Green Bay and New England) have a longer current playoff streak than Cincinnati. But one of these years Regular season success has to result in Postseason glory.
Can Tyler Boyd produce right away? Both Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu left via free agency. The two combined for 98 catches on 152 targets last season. Somebody has to step up and become the #2 receiver. I do not believe it will be Brandon LaFell, who came over from New England. LaFell had a brutal 50% catch percentage, and anyone who watched a Patriots game last year knows there were plenty of times where he and Tom Brady were not on the same page. LaFell is currently the #2, but it’s only a matter of time before Tyler Boyd overtakes him. Boyd had 91 catches as a Junior at Pittsburgh last season, and has impressed in the preseason. The hope is that he can be a productive receiver, so opponents have to worry about someone other than AJ Green.
Can Andy Dalton continue to mature The Red Rifle had his best statistical season in 2015, tossing 25 touchdowns before injuring his thumb in week fourteen. Dalton cut down on his interceptions and guided the Bengals to a 10-2 record before getting hurt. Dalton is never going to be the best quarterback in the league, but he’s become a solid veteran presence who uses all the weapons at his arsenal.
Solid defense gets better Better and younger. Cincinnati used three of their first four picks on the defensive side of the ball. Corner William Jackson III is already seeing nickel snaps. The other two picks, Linebacker Nick Virgil and DT Andrew Billings, are looking to be rotation players on what is already a terrific defense.
Fantasy Focus AJ Green is a sure fire first round pick, and my favorite of the non “big 3”. If you wait on a QB, Dalton was very efficient last season and could outperform his draft position. Tyler Boyd is worth a flier. Let someone else try to figure out if Jeremy Hill or Gio Bernard is the right running back to choose. Those two are the epitome of a timeshare backfield.
Prediction The pieces are there and the schedule lines up for another big season for the Bengals. I have them at 12-4, the same record as Pittsburgh. That likely means another wild card weekend game and hopefully not another first round loss.