The Bengals have assembled a talented roster and will once again compete for supremacy in the AFC North. Cincinnati won the division for the second time in the last three seasons last year, matching the franchise record with 12 regular season wins and reached double-digits for the fourth straight time.
They made the playoffs for the fifth straight season and proved to be one of the best bets in the NFL, yet all the regular season success hasn’t translated into postseason wins. It’s the same old story for the Bengals: They are good enough to win the division and contend for the Super Bowl, but will they get out of their own way?
Cincinnati Bengals Regular Season Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu
Bengals Over 9.5 Wins -140
Bengals Under 9.5 Wins +118
Marvin Lewis has been the most successful coach in Bengals history by most measures. He’s coached the team longer than anyone. He’s won more regular season games than any coach in franchise history, and he’s directed the club to half of their 14 playoff appearances.
But there’s still the matter of winning in the postseason that eludes Lewis and the Bengals. Seven playoff berths in 13 seasons is a remarkable run. Seven straight one-and-dones, four of them in their own yard, isn’t so remarkable.
Quarterback Andy Dalton progressed to one of the top quarterbacks in the league last season, leading the Bengals to a 10-2 record before a thumb injury ended his season, and Cincinnati’s hopes for an AFC title. Backup A.J. McCarron played well in his absence, but the team finished 2-2, missed out on a first-round bye, and had to face Pittsburgh in the playoff opener. The Bengals bowed out for the fifth postseason in a row. Will this team ever take the next step?
2016 Cincinnati Bengals Schedule
Week 1: at New York Jets +1
Week 2: at Pittsburgh Steelers -4
Week 3: vs. Denver Broncos +3
Week 4: vs. Miami Dolphins +6.5
Week 5: at Dallas Cowboys PK
Week 6: at New England Patriots -4
Week 7: vs. Cleveland Browns +-11.5
Week 8: vs. Washington Redskins +4
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: at New York Giants +2
Week 11: vs. Buffalo Bills +5.5
Week 12: at Baltimore Ravens +1.5
Week 13: vs. Philadelphia Eagles +5
Week 14: at Cleveland Browns +7.5
Week 15: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers PK
Week 16: at Houston Texans +1
Week 17: vs. Baltimore Ravens
It’s not a Tom Brady-type suspension, but the Bengals will open the year without defensive leader Vontaze Burfict, who was handed a three-game suspension by the NFL for his insane behavior in last year’s playoff game with Pittsburgh. The Bengals would love to carve out six wins from the first eight despite two back-to-back road trips and a game in London. Doing that puts Cincy on an easy path to reaching double figures again.
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The Bengals won 12 times last year and that was with Dalton missing a quarter of the season after injuring his thumb. The black cloud continues to hang over this club during the postseason, but Cincinnati has been one of the most successful teams during the regular season in Lewis’ tenure.
The schedule seems favorable for another run to the top of the AFC North and into the playoffs. Things really get interesting for the Bengals once the playoffs begin. Hopefully, this time around, Dalton joins the festivities.
The quarterback took his game to another level in 2015 only to see it halted by the fractured thumb against, of all teams, the Steelers. If any good came from the injury, it was that McCarron showed what he can do as the backup and should something happen again, he will be more comfortable taking over.
Cincinnati has averaged better than 10 wins over the past five seasons, reaching double figures in each of the past four. Again, regular season success isn’t in question. The Bengals missed a chance at grabbing one of the top seeds and first round playoff bye last season. That should be motivation heading into 2016.
NFL Odds: Cincinnati Bengals Over 9.5 Wins
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