Things did not go well for the Bengals in 2023 after Joe Burrow missed significant time due to injury, as they missed playoffs after they had made back-to-back AFC Championship games. While Burrow is returning, the Bengals lost some pieces, and are they still a contending-level team? Welcome back to another edition of ‘The Super Bowl Race In The Perspective of Chase’, we will preview the Cincinnati Bengals 2024 season!
2023 Season
Going into 2023, a lot of people viewed the Bengals as their Super Bowl pick. They had made the Super Bowl just two seasons prior, and had made the AFC Championship where Kansas City barely snuck away. They had all of the talent and the same core was in Cincinnati. But things just went poorly right away. They had a miserable start against Cleveland, and quickly got to 1-3. Eventually, Cincinnati got better as Burrow got more healthy. But they continued to not reach an elite level of play. Burrow then re-injured himself with a hand injury against Baltimore, missing essentially the entire second half of the season. Jake Brownning was fine when he stepped in, but wasn’t able to elevate other offensive pieces such as Ja’Marr Chase. Overall, the Bengals were a nine win team that just couldn’t get to the elite status, and missed the postseason.
Offseason Additions and Losses
The Bengals had decisions to make, with Joe Mixon, Tyler Boyd and Chidobe Awuzie all free agents, and Tee Higgins and Chase extension-eligible. And frankly, the Bengals didn’t do a good job at keeping those pieces, or keeping them happy. They didn’t retain Mixon, who left for Houston, and added an older Zack Moss and will have to rely much more heavily on Chase Brown than ever before. They also lost Awuzie, which will definitely hurt their defense. They also did make some additions, though, that have gone unnoticed. Geno Stone led the AFC with seven interceptions, and the Bengals got him on a two year deal worth just $15 million. He’ll be a huge addition. They also added Sheldon Rankins from Houston, and he’ll be a great addition to their run defense. So they had some underrated pieces. But they also had some drama. Tee Higgins has now bought in, but didn’t like his situation initially, and talks are still looming between Chase and the Bengals. I think the Bengals have less depth, but also added some good pieces during the offseason.
X-Factor: Chase Brown
I mentioned how it’s not ideal how Cincinnati is reliant on Brown. However, he’s been a piece that many have thought can be a breakout candidate. With Mixon gone, Moss is clearly viewed as the RB1, especially with how he played when Jonathan Taylor was sidelined last season in Indianapolis. However, as the season went on, we saw Moss was is not a consistently productive back. So I think the Bengals will use Brown. At 5’10 the former Illinois product adds value in both the rushing and receiving game, possessing quick speed and tremendous elusiveness. That talent at 24 years old as opposed to a very old 26 Zack Moss who lacks the acceleration that Brown adds. Expect Chase Brown to be a key contributor on Cincinnati’s offense this year.
Reason for Concern: The Running Game
I just mentioned how Chase Brown could make an impact, but I don’t know if this team has the dominant rusher. Take teams that haven’t had an incredible running back when they’ve won a championship. Say all three Mahomes Super Bowl teams. While Damien Williams and Isaiah Pacheco weren’t good in those respective runs, but they weren’t really elevating the offense. Then they get to the postseason and they become monsters and key contributors. Some still say Williams should have won Super Bowl MVP for that first Super Bowl team. However, are Brown or Moss good enough to be that contributor? While Cincinnati has always been a passing offense under Burrow, Mixon was a reliable running back who played his role really well. Are Brown or Moss ready to step into that role? I’m not sure. And if they can’t be those type of contributors, it’s going to be hard for the passing game alone to take them to the Super Bowl.
Reason for Promise: Burrow
Joe Burrow has played four seasons in the NFL, but has only finished two of them. In those two seasons, Burrow was second in completion percentage (69.3%), was third in touchdowns (69) and led the Bengals to the Super Bowl and AFC Championship respectively. Sounds pretty dominant. That’s why he’s the highest paid QB in history. No matter what the supporting cast has consisted of, Burrow has been one of the calmest and collected signal callers in the league with incredible pocket presence, and he has ice in his veins. He’s clutch, and can perform in the playoffs. Yes, Cincinnati’s supporting cast is much worse. But if the Bengals have Joe Cool, they’ll always have a shot.
Prediction:
I made the shocking decision to predict that the Bengals will miss the playoffs. I have them checking in with ten wins, but missing the playoffs due to tiebreaker. However, this could be a team that if things come together, can be a dangerous contender in 2024.
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