It’s not that the Cincinnati Bengals couldn’t build a competitive roster.
In fact, they entered the playoffs for five straight seasons from 2011 to 2015 under head coach Marvin Lewis.
However, they couldn’t get past the Wild Card round with losses to the then-San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Houston Texans twice.
But things changed last season when the Bengals formed a young but talented nucleus led by a relatively young head coach in Zac Taylor.
Much to the surprise of football fans outside Cincinnati, the Bengals made it to Super Bowl LVI by winning two road playoff games.
Unfortunately, they lost to the Los Angeles Rams even if they had one final drive to potentially tie the game.
Though they were at the losing end, the future looks bright for the Bengals and they are expected to return to the big game soon.
For that reason, running back Joe Mixon regards his team as the league’s biggest draw.
Mixon said, “I feel like we might be the hottest thing smoking in the NFL.”
It’s hard to refute his statement because they have an exciting brand of football.
Joe Burrow continues to show poise under center which is rare from a young quarterback.
Mixon is their star from the backfield and their receiving corps can dominate any defense in the NFL.
While Ja’Marr Chase is the undisputed leader of their wideouts, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are also dependable contributors.
Addressing Their Weakness
If the Bengals had that amazing ride with a questionable offensive line, what more now when they’ve made it their priority this offseason?
The team improved the protection around Burrow by signing Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, and La’el Collins.
These men will buy Burrow time to execute more big-gain plays.
Therefore, take Mixon’s thoughts as a warning that they are ready to dominate.
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