Bengals fans will be heartbroken by Sports Illustrated's boldest 2024 NFL prediction

What's better: Getting to the Super Bowl and losing, or not making it at all? Depending on how you answer that question, you'll be either very happy or very sad about Sports Illustrated's prediction for Super Bowl LIX.

Another Super Bowl loss?

In a column that includes 100 bold predictions for the 2024 NFL season, SI's Conor Orr listed the Detroit Lions topping the Bengals in the big game as the boldest prediction of all. Here's what he had to say:

"My most recent set of predictions—one bold one for all 32 teams the day after Super Bowl LVIII—had the Bengals edging the Lions, but I am slightly altering my pick based on a Lions team that is absolutely stacked and powered by the best of vibes. I have seen first-hand (as a Rex Ryan era New York Jets beat writer) what making it to a conference title game can do for a team, and there’s a difference between an accidental tightening disguised as confidence and real, true confidence. I think this Lions team could not only claw its way to the Super Bowl, but romp in the process."

Both the Lions and Bengals will be looking to build on recent success in 2024. The Lions made it all the way to the NFC Championship game last season before falling to the San Francisco 49ers, while the Bengals played in the AFC Championship game the previous season and the Super Bowl the year before that.

This would be an extremely interesting Super Bowl matchup, as neither team has ever won a Super Bowl before. The Lions have never even made the big game, while the Bengals came close to winning one a couple of years ago, but ultimately fell short. The Bengals also played in the Super Bowl in 1982 and 1989, but lost to the 49ers both times.