We are actually here gearing up for Week 1. We are to the point the roster is as set as things can be, and speculation falls on how the Cincinnati Bengals will fair against their opponent each week, and not just broadly comparing them to last year’s team.
Week 1 we will see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers travel to Cincinnati. They are led by a familiar faces at quarterback, Baker Mayfield. He had a bit of a renaissance with the Bucs after hopping around the league a few seasons. He spent his first four
seasons with the Cleveland Browns after being selected No. 1 overall. He is 6-2 against Cincinnati. One of those losses coming as a Carolina Panther.
However, this is a vastly different defense than from the 2021 season and earlier. Even in 2021, they played the final week of the season, and the Bengals rested most of their starters for that game since they had won the AFC North already.
It likely will come down to how fast Joe Burrow and company can get going. The offense has had some slow starts despite being together for so long. If they are able to get out to a quick lead, It may help this defense that has plenty of new faces playing a large amount of snaps a bit easier.
Bengals News
Bryan Cook Comes Home To A City He Never Left: ‘This Is My Heart’
Cook proves time and time again why he chose the Bengals, and why it was probably for the Bengals to commit to him at safety. He has been a fairly vocal leader for a youngish defense, and he has a winning pedigree to back up what he is talking about.
Cincinnati Bengals Could Shock NFL World With Top Defense Across 2026 Season
Yo back and wonder just how this team lost some of these games, and the answer was too commonly that the defense blew it. It wasn’t always their fault, but when you are asking an offense to score in the 40’s to have a chance to win, you are going to lose in frustrating fashion pretty often. If this defense makes a huge leap, it will be a pretty fun season.
How former Bengals players did at NFL cuts, waiver wire
Unsurprisingly, the castoffs from the past few seasons have had issues sticking to another 53-man roster. I don’t think a better illustration of that is former-offensive guard Cordell Volson getting cut by the Tennessee Titans this offseason after being pretty much an unchallenged starter for most of his time with Cincinnati. It is a frustrating process we see all to often. Here is to hoping the linebackers aren’t going to fall down that same road.
NFL News
Steelers’ Alex Highsmith: There’s ‘added motivation’ to send Aaron Rodgers out ‘the right way’
It is a bit ironic to see the Pittsburgh Steelers turn into the Bengals during the Andy Dalton era. The Steelers last won a playoff game in the 2016 season, which means if they do not win again this year, it will have been a decade since they won a playoff game. Last year they got shellacked 30-6 by the Houston Texans. That was their fifth straight postseason where they lost their first game. I am sure things will be so much better with Mike McCarthy as head coach.
Bold predictions for 2026 NFL season: Brock Bowers to set NFL record; who wins receiving triple crown?
The Bengals are going to let it fly more than any team in football, and Chase will be the focal point of that aerial attack. If Joe Burrow stays healthy for the full season, this old Bayou connection will bear its juiciest fruit to date. Chase breaks Calvin Johnson’s single-season record of 1,964 receiving yards, wins Offensive Player of the Year and makes his 2024 triple crown-winning campaign look like a walk in the park.
It is certainly bold. Safe to say everyone involved would love to see a deep playoff run first, but is Ja’Marr Chase is doing this, it is hard to imagine the team won’t be doing very well.
Top 25 NFL free agents in 2027: Puka Nacua, George Pickens headline way-too-early list
DJ Turner and Chase Brown both make the list. Turner is only behind Joey Porter Jr. at cornerback, and Brown is the only running back to make the top 25. Both hopefully get long-term deals next offseason, but odds are Turner at least gets hit with the franchise tag.
Was Mitchell Tinsley really the hardest cut? Let us know in the comments!
