The Cincinnati Bengals have a rather easy schedule by NFL standards for the 2026 season. However, that doesn't mean there's room for complacency, or some misguided assumption that they'll coast to a playoff berth.
Bengals fans know all too well how a false sense of confidence can backfire. Joe Burrow tends to inspire that cocksure belief in one's team. It wasn't misplaced in 2024 when he played like an MVP, only for the defense to totally fail him. It was last year once he got injured in Week Freaking Two.
One common thread that's persisted throughout Burrow's career and head coach Zac Taylor's tenure is what may derail all the hype in short order.
Slow start narrative will pester Bengals until they truly turn it around
Despite last season's 2-0 start, which turned out to be a mirage as Cincinnati staggered to a 6-11 record, Taylor still has only won three of his 14 games in Weeks 1 and 2.
Some of that has to do with Taylor inheriting a terrible team when he first started. Another major factor is Burrow's repeated cycle of injuries and rehab. Still, the Bengals' otherwise elite offense tends to struggle out of the gates.
There's absolutely no excuse for any nonsense like that this year. With all the continuity on the coaching staff and 11 starters returning, Cincinnati should hit the ground running.
Key word there being "should." Because I assumed the Bengals would come out ripping in 2025 once Burrow had finally gotten through a healthy training camp. They were horrendous. Could not run the ball to save their lives. Tough divisional matchup at Cleveland in Week 1 against the thankfully-traded Myles Garrett. Was not pretty.
Burrow has never sounded this confident in the Bengals' roster before, though. Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. is gassing up is offensive line as the league's best pass blocking unit. Tailback Chase Brown is entering a contract year, and will have the same blockers in front of him who created so many lanes for him in 2025.
"The Bengals can't run the ball"
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) June 27, 2026
Ummm, they were number 1 in EPA per rush in 2025.
They were 3rd in rush Success Rate behind Rams and Bears.
And they're bringing back all 5 OL starters, get Erick All back in the TE room and Chase Brown is in a contract year.
If you're still… pic.twitter.com/zZLrg8vHnv
It's all a matter of the Bengals capitalizing on all the banked reps between Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and even Mike Gesicki. Brown has everything to play for with a payday on the horizon.
Perhaps most important: The defense "regressing to the mean" or "just being average" no longer feels like wishful thinking or an arrogant, fan-biased inference. It's rooted in the reality of what Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook should bring to that side of the ball.
Lots of new pieces to fit together for defensive coordinator Al Golden, though. He'd better get his troops in order during camp. Otherwise, the pitchforks will be raised outside Bengals HQ if they fail to beat either the Bucs in Week 1 or the Texans in Houston the next Sunday.
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