Analyzing the Bengals
Last week, Sportsvival broke down the Baltimore Ravens. This week, we shift our focus to the Cardiac Cats of Cincinnati—the Bengals. With one of the most explosive offenses in football, what can we realistically expect from this team in 2025?
Offensive Firepower: The Best in Football?
Let’s start with the obvious: the Bengals might have the best offense in the NFL—and it’s not particularly close.
Joe Burrow: Arguably the best quarterback in football. His precision, poise, and leadership are unmatched.
Ja’Marr Chase & Tee Higgins: A top-tier wide receiver duo that can take over any game.
Andrei Iosivas, Mike Gesicki, Chase Brown: Depth, versatility, and speed at every skill position.
This unit is built to score 30+ points every week. But as we’ve seen, even that might not be enough.
Defensive Concerns: A Glaring Weakness
Let me preface this by saying: I’m not speaking as a biased Yinzer—I’m being honest. The Bengals defense is a major liability.
Key contributors: Shemar Stewart, BJ Hill, Trey Hendrickson, and Logan Wilson.
Beyond that? A mix of unproven youth and low-cost free agents.
If I were the GM, I’d have considered trading Tee Higgins for high draft picks or defensive reinforcements. Scoring 40 and still losing? That’s football malpractice. It’s a disservice to Burrow, Chase, Higgins, and the entire offense.
As a Steelers fan, watching Burrow throw 40 touchdowns last season and miss the playoffs was maddening. It’s starting to feel like the Andrew Luck saga all over again.
Identity Crisis: What’s the Plan?
The Bengals want to score points—who doesn’t? But most teams have a defense that can hold opponents under 30. Cincinnati doesn’t. Or at least, not consistently.
Offense alone: Good enough to win 8–9 games.
Defense: So shaky it could still cost them games even on decent outings.
There’s no winning formula here. Just a hope that the offense can outrun the inevitable.
Leadership & Direction: Band-Aids on Bullet Wounds
Since their Super Bowl run three years ago, the Bengals have stagnated.
Zac Taylor: Hasn’t elevated the team since that magical season.
Mike Brown: Still one of the league’s most frugal owners.
Duke Tobin: Hasn’t done enough to build a championship-caliber roster.
It feels like the Bengals are trying to patch up a sinking ship with duct tape. Their explosive offense masks the glaring lack of defensive cohesion and awareness—traits every true contender possesses.
Final Thoughts & Season Prediction
Offensively, the Bengals will be must-watch TV. But they’ll be playing catch-up all year. For a team with this much star power, it feels like a disservice to the players and the fans.
If things don’t change soon, uncomfortable questions will need to be asked—and answered.
Prediction: 8–9 Record | 3rd Place in the AFC North
(photo courtesy of WLWT)