PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 15: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks to pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers during their NFL game at Heinz Field on November 15, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
The Cincinnati Bengals will be looking to continue their ongoing rebuild as they prepare for the 2021 regular season. It certainly helps now that the team knows they have a stud as their franchise quarterback in Joe Burrow. Burrow will return to the team after a knee injury ended his rookie season. Burrow showed flashes of promise for the team before his injury and was on pace to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of The Year award. The team will be looking to focus on finding the right style and team chemistry heading into a Week 1 matchup with the Vikings.
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AFC North: The Bengals will most likely experience another losing season in the competitive AFC North division. The other three teams in the division all made the playoffs last season and they all finished with at least 10 wins. The Bengals were only able to achieve one win in their six divisional games. Don’t expect much to change in that department in 2021.
Matchups: The Bengals’ schedule is more difficult than the average schedule, partially because they have to face the Steelers, Ravens and Browns two times each. The Bengals also have difficult matchups with the Packers, Chiefs and Vikings. Cincinnati doesn’t have a great chance against any of those teams. Even the games against the mid-tier teams will pose a challenge to a very young Bengals squad.
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Overall: There won’t be much improvement for the Bengals in the 2021 NFL regular season. The team does not have the depth or roster to actively compete for a playoff spot next season. Cincinnati did improve their offense by drafting stud wideout Ja’Marr Chase with the fifth pick of the draft, plus the team improved the offensive line that will be protecting Burrow by selecting guard Jackson Carman in the second round. The Bengals should have a revamped offense despite losing veteran wide receiver A.J. Green in free agency. The Bengals have an up-and-coming quarterback in Burrow, a talented running back in Joe Mixon and a talented group of young receivers in Chase, Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins. All that said, the Bengals have one of the worst defenses in the entire NFL. The improved offensive won’t be enough to overcome the organization’s atrocious defense.
Prediction: Last season, the Bengals finished with a record of 4-11-1. Based on last year’s results, this year’s regular-season schedule and the franchise’s offseason moves, Cincinnati will likely finish 6-11. Until the Bengals can compete with the Steelers, Ravens and Browns, it’s hard to imagine this franchise getting back to the playoffs.
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