It’s unfair, when you think about it, how much weight a first impression carries. Not just in social settings either. Go to a new restaurant and have a bad experience? Odds are you won’t return. Was the server just having a bad day? Did the kitchen have a rare miss? Doesn’t matter. You get one chance to prove you’re worth someone’s time. Slip up, and that chance is gone.
The Cincinnati Bengals know that lesson all too well. Under Zac Taylor, slow starts have haunted them. Outside of 2021 and 2022, the opening month has been a wasteland. Through the first four games of 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2024, they went a combined 3-12-1. Contrast that with the two AFC Championship seasons, when they opened 5-3, and you see how razor-thin the margin is.
This offseason, the Bengals kept their word. They extended or re-signed Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Trey Hendrickson. They grabbed Dalton Risner late, giving Joe Burrow the best offensive line he’s had by a mile. They added Noah Fant as another weapon, bolstered depth on the defensive front, and will get 40% of their secondary back from injury. They even made the bold move of changing defensive coordinators, replacing Lou Anarumo with Al Golden.
On paper, they are better than the 2024 version—on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they’re terrifying. Defensively, even if they land somewhere in the middle of the league, that’s enough to keep them in Super Bowl contention if injuries don’t pile up. Could they have done more? Sure. But between Risner, Mike Pennel, and their defensive draft class, they’ve done enough to give themselves a legitimate shot.
That shot starts Sunday. Taylor played Burrow and the starters more than ever this preseason, and it should pay off. The Bengals are a better team than the Browns—especially at quarterback. Cleveland will try to muck things up, but I’ll take Burrow-to-Chase/Higgins over Flacco-Njoku-Jeudy all day, every day.
The recipe is simple: come out swinging. Score early, score often. Put up 40 if you can. If the Bengals dictate tempo, Cleveland’s run game gets neutralized. If not, it could be a grind.
Defensively, it’s still a mystery. We’ve only seen watered-down preseason looks. Can rookies like Demetrius Knight, Barrett Carter, and Shemar Stewart make an impact right away? There’s a ton of potential energy here. Whether it becomes kinetic—we’ll need a few weeks to know.
Bottom line: this season comes down to the Bengals’ first impression. If they hit the ground running, they’ll set themselves up for a playoff push. And with Burrow, once you’re in, anything is possible.
Random Thoughts Entering Week 1
- All the pressure is on Cincinnati. The Browns aren’t picked to win or make the playoffs. The Bengals are—and they need to shake the “slow start” monkey off their back.
- Cleveland’s defense won’t make life easy for Burrow. Expect them to throw the kitchen sink at him.
- Key matchup: the Browns ground game vs the Bengals’ defensive front. If Jerome Ford finds daylight, it could be a long afternoon.
- The Bengals’ offensive depth is absurd. Chase, Higgins, Gesicki, Fant, Iosivas—pick your poison. Give Burrow time and they’re not just “hard” to defend. They’re impossible to defend.
- Risner gives them flexibility at guard, something they desperately needed before he signed.
- NFL Top 100 gripe: Ja’Marr at No. 4 makes sense, but there aren’t five players better or more impactful than Burrow. He should be No. 1 or No. 2.
- My X Factor? Dax Hill. We haven’t seen him fully at corner, but this is the year that changes. The Bengals drafted him in the first round in 2022 for a reason.
- Watch out for Chase Brown. With all the attention on Burrow and the passing game, he has the chance to sneak up on the league.
Game Pick: Bengals by a million
Don’t run back inside, darling
You know just what I’m here for
So you’re scared and you’re thinking
That maybe we ain’t that young anymore
Show a little faith, there’s magic in the night
You ain’t a beauty, but hey, you’re alright
Oh, and that’s alright with me
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