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4 Old Cincinnati Bengals Players Who Could Help This Year

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The Cincinnati Bengals have been pretty close to the playoffs the last couple of years. Well, maddeningly close. OK, knife-throwing-act-at-the-circus close. Not really, but it’s not far fetched to think that they are closer to being one of the Bengals teams that made the playoffs 5 straight seasons (2011-2015) than a team that is in total rebuild mode.

Since we can’t change the past, we’ll do the next best thing – we’ll go back to the past. We’re gonna make our call on which four players from Cincy’s best teams (1988 and 2005) could help get this year’s team into the postseason.

4 Cincinnati Bengals Players We Wish We Had On This Year’s Team

Carson Palmer (2005)
No offense to Andy Dalton, but we’ll take 2005 Carson Palmer any day as our signal caller. That year, he threw for 4.35 miles and had as many interceptions as he did multi-touchdown games (12). The 101.1 QB rating doesn’t hurt either.

Palmer was also sacked only 19 times in ’05. Yes, that has more to do with the offensive line’s performance, but the quarterback still has to be able to avoid the rush and deliver the ball. Palmer did that.

Chad Johnson/Ocho Cinco/Johnson/7-11/WTF
The only thing tougher than remembering Chad’s last name was trying to cover him in 2005. He posted a career-high 97 catches for 1,432 yards, and had 23 catches of at least 20 yards. On a scale of 1-10, his performance was a 16/dieciseis.

Having him as a complement to A.J. Green would keep defenses on their heels, and that’s before we insert a deep threat. Speaking of which …

Eddie Brown (1988)
Brown was the long baller (now, now) that we hope John Ross will be. He proved it by averaging 24 yards per catch in 1988 (still an NFL single-season record). The cherry on top of that sundae was how he saved his best games for Pittsburgh. In his two 1988 games against the Steelers, he totaled eight catches for 281 yards and three touchdowns.

Having Brown on this year’s Cincinnati Bengals team – with two wins against Pittsburgh under our belts – would have the Paul Brown Stadium crowd dancing like a Fortnite flash mob. Let’s hope Ross can channel his inner Eddie.

Anthony Munoz (1988)
Munoz, the best O-lineman in franchise history, missed only three games in his 13 pro seasons, and none in 1988. You couldn’t get that kind of consistency if you custom-made an offensive tackle on Madden and raised all his durability levels to 99.

Even more than his toughness was his productivity. That much is evident by his nine first-team All-Pro recognitions. And in a pinch, he could be used as a receiving option (seven catches, 18 yards, four TDs). We know we’re talking more about his career than just that season, but … c’mon, it’s Munoz.

Honorable mention

There’s no shortage of Cincinnati Bengals fans who think Marvin Lewis needs to go. If it happened (not that we’re saying anything), good ol’ Sam Wyche is the perfect replacement. He’s a proven winner who has a voice that sounds like a chainsaw revving up. Besides, anyone who does this needs to be leading the team. And he should get Valentine’s Day cards.

Cincinnati Bengals Post-Draft, Preseason Picks 2018

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Now that the 2018 NFL Draft is in the rear view mirror and off-season moves have been made, the Cincinnati Bengals could make some noise in the AFC North this fall.

They picked up a handful of players who have more than a handful of promise. They will have OC Bill Lazor running the show on offense and he will go into the year having a full offseason to prepare and install his offense this time. He’s a guy who, let’s face it, would win every “Bitchin-est Name” contest if those things existed.

Those things, combined with a couple of very winnable early-season games and the fact that we play in the same division as the Cleveland Browns, means the playoffs could be within reach this year.

Here’s a game-by-game pick of how I think the Cincinnati Bengals’ 2018 season will go.

Cincinnati Bengals Game-by-Game Picks

Week 1 @ Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck has been out of action since being placed on injured reserve last November. The Colts’ 4-12 record shows how important he is to the team. A rusty shoulder combined with a long layoff leads one to think Cincy will start the season 1-0. Put me down as that one. 1-0

Week 2 vs Baltimore Ravens
Of all the picks, this is the one that has me running in slow-mo through a wheat field with my arms open. Cincinnati beat the Ravens 31-27 to end 2017. An early season win here means a one-game lead against a division contender. It also means momentum. That could be the difference between the playoffs or not. 2-0

Week 3 @ Carolina Panthers
The Carolina offense was very un-Cam Newton like in 2017. They were 28th in the league in passing offense. Fortunately, their rushing D only gave up 88 yards a game, and the team rode that stat to a 5th-seed playoff berth. Given the Cincinnati Bengals’s shaky ground game the last few years, we think the Panthers take this one. 2-1

Week 4 @ Atlanta Falcons
The last time there was an air attack this scary, Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds was in theaters. It starts with the 150 Million Dollar Man Matt Ryan and continues with Pro Bowler Julio Jones, 67-catch Mohamed Sanu and first-rounder Calvin Ridley. Sad to say, it looks like the Bengals won’t be able to keep up. 2-2.

Week 5 vs Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins either won small or lost big last year. Five of their fix wins were by one possession or less. Six of their 10 losses were by 14 points or more. They have a new weapon this year in Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki, but a non-quarterback expected to generate an extra two TDs per game is a tall order. Miami won’t be able to generate enough points to keep up with Dalton and Co. 3-2

Week 6 vs Pittsburgh Steelers
There, we said the name … blood boiling yet? If it weren’t for Le’veon Bell’s two-hand touch TD last year, the Bengals could have snapped their losing streak against the Steelers, which now stands at six. As much as we hate to say it, the Bengals will continue to play catch-up in this rivalry. We won’t pick ’em until they beat Pittsburgh. 3-3

Week 7 @ Kansas City Chiefs
KC took the AFC West last year, and lost to the Tennessee Titans in the wild-card by one point. They’ve had the whole off-season to stew on what might have been. That, plus home-field advantage, is enough to convince me. 3-4

Week 8 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers should’ve been called the Butt-aneers, what with their tail-end finishing in total defense in 2017. They allowed 378 yards per game and collected a paltry 22 sacks. The Bengals may not roll in this one, but they won’t lose. 4-4

Week 9 vs New Orleans Saints
Besides Pittsburgh, this is arguably our toughest opponent. QB Drew Brees is still churning out Pro-Bowl caliber stats. The defense, while middle of the road, doesn’t need to be special with the offense generating 391 yards a game. Will Cincinnati win? (shake magic 8 ball) Don’t count on it. 4-5

Week 10 @ Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens will have had time to gel by this point. I’m not feeling a second win for some reason. Don’t ask, just a hunch. 4-6

Week 11 vs Cleveland Browns
5-6

Week 12 vs Denver Broncos
Denver averaged just over two sacks a game in 2017, so they hope to shore up their pass rush with, among other players, first-round draft pick DE Bradley Chubb. He’ll have had some time to get his feet underneath him by Week 12, but he will need more than that. The Cincy O-line will hold up against the blitz, and the team will win. 6-6

Week 13 @ Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers possess the most lethal air attack since Alfred Hitchc …… oh, wait. You already heard that one. So you already know our prediction here. 6-7

Week 14 vs Oakland Raiders
The Oakland/Las Vegas Raid-uhs haven’t been that special since 2002, with only one playoff appearance since then. Jon Gruden’s return will pay dividends long-term, but in the meantime, the Bengals take this one. 7-7

Week 15 @ Cleveland Browns
8-7

Week 16 @ Pittsburgh Steelers
See my previous point about the team from up northeast.

Final record: 8-8. If we can get the wins against divisional opponents, then I say we got a shot at the postseason.

Game 12 Recap: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals

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The Cincinnati Bengals trailed for only two seconds last night.

Punchline: They were the only two seconds that mattered.

A 38-yard Chris Boswell field goal as time expired provided the winning margin for the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 23-20 knuckle biter. The game wasn’t helped by the loads of questionable calls by the officials on both sides. In fact, the most painful moment was a horrible third-quarter holding call on Giovani Bernard that wiped out a long AJ Green touchdown reception. The Bengals settled for a field goal instead of a touchdown. Think those four points would’ve made a difference?

How Things Went

The Cincinnati Bengals fought well in a game that featured so many bone-crushing hits, you’d think Chuck Norris had bought a ticket. (Wait, bought a ticket? Who are we kidding? Chuck would just step over the stadium wall and grab a churro from behind the counter). Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict was taken off the field on a stretcher. Joe Mixon left with a concussion. Pittsburgh receiver Antonio Brown took a helmet to the chin while catching a fourth-quarter touchdown pass. The Steelers also lost LB Ryan Shazier with a back injury, and Big Ben was slow to get off the turf a few times.

Even with all that, Cincinnati played well enough to win and responded well when they got a bad break. After Mixon left in the second quarter, Cincinnati plugged in Giovani Bernard and continue their 95-yard touchdown drive. Bernard’s holding call didn’t result in a punt. Instead, Andy Dalton completed a 27-yard pass to Brandon LaFell on 3rd and 16. That led to a field goal.

The offensive line was punching holes in the Steel Curtain all night. The team finished with 130 yards on the ground. The Bengals were playing with such confidence, you’d think they were leading the division. And the Steelers were getting pushed around to the point that … well, you’d think they were the Bengals. But in the end, the game ended the same way many others have – a slim win by Pittsburgh.

Player of the Game

Green had himself a time, gaining 77 yards on seven catches and nabbing a pair of TDs. Amazingly, those were his first-half numbers. He was shut out the rest of the game.

Playoff picture

The Cincinnati Bengals playoff chances took a serious blow with this loss. More serious than when Ivan Drago caved in Apollo Creed’s skull during their exhibition match. They are now 5-7 and behind three 6-6 teams (Chargers, Bills, and Raiders) that are “in the hunt” for a wild card spot. We’re not exactly sure what needs to happen for Cincinnati to get in. And it was a long night, so we don’t feel like figuring it out.

Game 11 Recap: Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals

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For once, the Cincinnati Bengals are involved in a sweep – the good kind. The kind where you do the sweeping.

Cincy took home a victory for the second time against Cleveland in 2017, this one a 30-16 win at Paul Brown Stadium. It kept the Browns winless and, more importantly, kept the Bengals in position to make some noise in the AFC wild-card race. They are currently an eight seed. Some things still need to happen (a good start would be a Baltimore loss to Houston on Monday night). But if the offensive line can replicate today’s performance, the Bengals may be playing more than 16 games.

How Things Went

The Cincinnati Bengals were in control practically the whole way. They took the lead on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Andy Dalton to Tyler Boyd with just over five minutes to go in the first quarter. The O-line paved the way for 152 rushing yards and allowed only one sack. Dalton distributed his 18 completions among seven skill players. The defense notched four sacks and six tackles for loss. It was an all-around solid effort against a quality opponen-hahahahahahahah! Sorry, we knew we couldn’t say that last part and keep a straight face.

The only things we’d like to change are the numerous times that Cleveland almost intercepted Dalton and the fact that DB Dre Kirkpatrick led the team in tackles. It’s usually not good when a defensive back is your leading tackler because it means the other team is getting the ball beyond the defensive line and into the second level.

Cincinnati Bengals Player of the Game

Joe Mixon. The rookie from Oklahoma broke the 100-yard mark for the first time as a pro, reaching 114 on 23 carries. He also added 51 yards on three catches. Mixon is coming into his own. We can tell because he’s earned his best accolade of his short career – our pick as Cincinnati Bengals player of the week.

What This Means Going Forward

Dare we say it, next week is the game that defines the rest of the Cincinnati Bengals’ season. The Pittsburgh Steelers come to town. Cincy can stay alive in the wild-card chase, exact revenge on its biggest rival, and give itself a huge confidence boost all in one shot. Sounds good?

Game 7 Recap: Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals

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The Cincinnati Bengals made this one a nailbiter. Well, they played the Indianapolis Colts, soooo … let’s say a photo finish. It was a back-and-forth battle in which Cincinnati got the final punch – scoring a defensive touchdown with seven minutes left in the game to eke out a 24-23 victory.

The teams matched each other almost stride for stride. Touchdowns were answered by touchdowns on two occasions and neither team led by more than seven points. The tight contests always went against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2016. But this year, they’ve won their last two one-possession games. Let’s hope that trend continues.

How Things Went

The Colts might as well have put a stamp on the line of scrimmage that said ‘Property of Indy.’ They only allowed Cincinnati to rush for 58 yards on 21 carries and put tons of pressure on Andy Dalton.

But here’s the shocker: Even though Dalton had more nose-to-nose meetings than an 80’s rogue cop with his screaming, the-mayor’s-on-my-ass captain, he didn’t throw a pick or have any major screwups. He took three sacks but ended up with very respectable numbers (17-29, 243 yards, 2 TDs). Rookie Cincy receiver Josh Malone nabbed his first pro touchdown reception. Joe Mixon had a sweet 67-yard catch that features more bobs and weaves than Ali in his prime.

But the Cincinnati Bengals’s offense had some less-than-rosy moments. Six of their possessions lasted six plays or less. They didn’t bag a touchdown until late in the second quarter and fumbled four times (losing two). When you’re handling the ball like wet soap in a game this close, it’s more dangerous than in the prison shower room.

Cincinnati Bengals Player of the Game

Carlos Dunlap takes the honors today with his 16-yard pick-six midway through the fourth quarter. That score (which gave Cincinnati the 24-23 lead), along with a sack, a TFL and three stops, capped off a fine performance.

What This Means Going Forward

It was a much-needed win for the Cincinnati Bengals. It kept them within spitting distance of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North race. With four winnable games coming up in November (Jaguars, Titans, Broncos and Browns), Cincinnati can put themselves back into having a shot at postseason play.