Kevin Durant's bold Bengals prediction will delight Cincinnati fans

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant is an NBA superstar, but he's pretty plugged in when it comes to the NFL too, and fans in Cincinnati will be happy with his recent bold Bengals prediction.

Kevin Durant thinks Bengals will still make the AFC playoffs

During a recent appearance on Up and Adams, Durant was asked which team he thought would ultimately claim the final spot in the AFC playoff picture, and the former NBA MVP went with the boys in black (and orange).

While explaining the rationale behind his selection, Durant pointed to talent and experience as two main factors in his Bengals belief, as well as the presence of Joe Burrow on the roster.

"The paper says the Bengals should be in because they have the most talent, experience," Durant said. "... We'll see. If I had to take anyone I'm taking the Bengals because I trust Joe Burrow more than anybody else."

If the Bengals are going to prove Durant correct, they'll basically need to win all six of their remaining regular season games, beginning with their matchup with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13. The Bengals currently have about a 12 percent chance of qualifying for postseason play, but that number will drop down below five percent with a loss to the Steelers, according to the New York Times' updating playoff simulator.

The Bengals still largely control their own destiny though. If they can win all six of those remaining games, they have a 94 percent chance of qualifying for postseason play, according to the team's website.

So, Cincinnati's path is pretty clear. Win out and they're probably in. Lose once (or twice) and they'll miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season. Durant still has faith, hopefully the Bengals can make him look like he knows what he's talking about.