2012 Cincinnati Bengals Preview

2012 Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals exceeded a lot of expectations in 2011, especially mine. When a team starts a rookie quarterback and number one receiver in a tough division like the AFC North, you would think that the upside is limited. However, the Bengals, led by TCU product Andy Dalton and stud wide out AJ Green out of Georgia, not only held their own but were one of the biggest surprises of the season. Cincy finished the season with a winning record at 9-7 and securing the number six seed in the AFC, and the final playoff spot in the conference. They ended up losing in the first round to Houston as was expected, but the immediate progress they showed in this new age cannot be ignored. They did all this in spite of a head coach that has kept his job despite never winning a playoff game in his entire tenure, Marvin Lewis. If the Bengals can continue the new success that his team has found, then good for him. However, if they don’t, then it might be time for a new change at the top to grow along side the new era that this football team is diving into. For the record, I don’t see Marvin Lewis being fired this year, as long as the team remains functional.

Offense

As I introduced before, this offense has undergone a complete makeover, now being led by now sophomore quarterback Andy Dalton, coming off a solid rookie season. Dalton is one of those kind of quarterbacks that will never get the credit he deserves because he won’t be a fantasy stud, but simply knows how to win and get the job done. This is not unlike some other QBs in his division, namely Big Ben and Joe Flacco. Andy basically has one dangerous target outside in AJ Green, and not much else. We’ll see if tight end Jermaine Gresham is used more effectively to make up for the lack of talent on the perimeter. The Bengals also felt comfortable enough to let running back Cedric Benson depart to Green Bay, and have now turned to former Patriot BenJarvus Green-Ellis to spearhead the rushing attack. BJGE is a guy who, if given enough carries, can absolutely be a 1,000-yard, 10 touchdown back. He is durable and is money in the bank at the goal line. The Law Firm doesn’t turn the ball over, ever. This upgrade at running back could be very significant.

Defense

The Cincinnati defense has made huge strides over the last couple of years, and, like the quarterback, do not get as much credit as they deserve. It looks like they have found a premier pass rusher in Carlos Dunlap, who has had questionable character issues in the past but can definitely perform on the field. They also have a solid cornerback tandem in Leon Hall and Nate Clements. The Bengals have a nice group of linebackers as well. Cincinnati is set up with a group that can potentially give up less than, say, 22 points per game; it just depends on whether they can force enough turnovers to be considered a top-tier defense. They do everything well, but now we’ll see if they can take the next step as a complete unit.

Schedule

The Cincinnati Bengals finished at a nice 9-7 record last season, making the playoffs. At face value, that looks satisfactory to say the least, but when you look at the schedule in detail, some big numbers pop out. For example, do you know how many of their nine wins came against teams that did not make the playoffs? All of them. Nine. The Bengals finished 9-0 against teams that did not make the postseason last year. Now, what about their record against playoff teams? 0-7. No wins. Four of those losses were against the Steelers and Ravens. What does that tell us about this team? That they still have a long way to go before they are serious contenders. They took care of all the inferior teams, but when they were matched up against a quality team, Cincy couldn’t win once, in seven tries. The 0-4 against Pittsburgh and Baltimore shows that they aren’t ready to compete in this division yet. This year they have a harder schedule. One of two things will happen: either the Bengals will take the next step and start beating these superior teams, or else they will take a step back against a tougher slate of opponents and miss the playoffs. Here’s how I see it playing out.

Week 1: L at BAL

Week 2: W vs CLE

Week 3: L at WAS

Week 4: W at JAC

Week 5: W vs MIA

Week 6: W at CLE

Week 7: W vs PIT

Week 8: Bye

Week 9: L vs DEN

Week 10: L vs NYG

Week 11: L at KC

Week 12: W vs OAK

Week 13: L at SD

Week 14: W vs DAL

Week 15: L at PHI

Week 16: L at PIT

Week 17: W vs BAL

I think the Cincinnati Bengals will finish at 8-8. This is a game worse than last year, but with a tougher schedule, they will actually make some improvements. These include beating teams like PIT, BAL, and DAL, showing that they are learning how to win close games against tough teams. While I’m looking at no playoffs for Cincinnati, by no means does that mean it was a lost season. After a bold prediction, I’ll preview the Cleveland Browns. Browns fans...you might want to skip that one.

Bold Prediction: Rookie wide receiver Mohamed Sanu will be the second most productive WR on the team, with 45 rec, 500 yards, and 3 touchdowns.