Cincinnati Bengals Week 1 Preview

As many….all…of you know, the Cincinnati Bengals are my favorite team, my lifeline, my everything. In the past, I’ve tried to cover random teams from the AAF, XFL, and maybe a little Bengals on the side but this year I’m ALL IN ON COVERING THE BENGALS! Consider this my resume to get a gig writing for the Bengals. Newspapers, take notice. Fans and friends, please share so I can write for my favorite team. Or, at a minimum, just keep reading and having fun with me. Here’s the preview for Week 1 vs. the Minnesota Vikings!*
*I will be there watching live, come see me and tailgate.

What I’m Watching For

#1 – JOE BURROW. Look, I’m nervous – maybe too nervous. I’ve been a Bengals fan longer than I’ve been alive and I know how these things work. I’m nervous. Joe Burrow had one year in college, threw for 100 TDs, then came to Cincinnati and shredded his leg. I’ve seen the Bengals ruin more good things than my ex wife (I don’t have an ex wife). I’M NERVOUS. Let’s see how Joe Burrow looks. AND FOR F*CKS SAKE, CALL GOOD PLAYS, GUYS. I don’t want the BS run, run, screen pass 3 and outs or I will boo louder than ghosts on Halloween (pun game strong).

#2 – THE DEFENSE. Is this defense legit? Are we going to be able to stop ANYONE? Spoiler for later but I’m all in on the over. 47? The Bengals might have to score 47 to win if the defense hasn’t changed. Let’s see what this D is made of. Fingers crossed and knocking on wood, we’ve avoided the “major” injury in preseason. Sure there are a couple and I hate Trae Waynes being out against his former team. Make this 17 straight Bengals games he hasn’t played in….not great. But let’s see what’s going on. Let’s see how this defense does. And please stop Dalvin Cook from having 300 yards.

#3 – THE FANS. Look, we’re starved. We’re hungry. We’re ready. I can’t wait to hear that Joe Burrow intro for the first time. Did you watch the preseason? BENGALS FANS NEED THIS. Let’s be loud. Let’s be supportive. Let’s freaking win the home opener and get a good start to the season! I can’t get to 7 wins by losing week 1 (another bet, get off me).

#4 – JA’MARR CHASE. Let’s leave the past in the past. But if he drops one pass, the sky will fall and people will freak out (probably me included). 5 targets, 4 drops in the preseason is not great. Will he be able to be the guy he was on the national championship team? He needs to be. He was a top 5 pick for a reason. He can’t have the yips.

#5 – THE CINCINNATI BENGALS. Let’s see what we’ve got this year. Have I mentioned I’m nervous? It’s so so so so important to start off this year great. Win the coin toss, receive the football, score a touchdown and get the crowd behind you. A win in week 1 is going to be so freaking important to this year. If the Bengals start off losing, Zac Taylor needs to go and panic needs to set in. We get Joe Burrow for 5 years. One of those is done. We need to make the playoffs this year and then build a freaking team next year. If there’s a new coach in town, I think we waste yet another window. What will this year look like? What’s it going to be? Let’s go Bengals!

What do you think the outlook is this season? What’s your prediction? Stay tuned after the game where I give you my analysis/grades/whatever I might do. WHO DEY, friends!

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