CINCINNATI BENGALS
2020 Record - 4-11-1
Head Coach - Zac Taylor
Key Additions - Trey Hendrickson (DL), Ricardo Allen (DB), Eli Apple (DB), Chidobe Awuzie (DB), Riley Reiff (OL), Mike Hilton (DB), Larry Ogunjobi (DL)
OFFENSE - Quarterback Joe Burrow enters his second year in the NFL and is coming off a season ending knee injury. Burrow played in ten games and passed for 2,688 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. The backup QB is Brandon Allen, who passed for 925 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions.
Joe Mixon leads the running game and he is also coming back from an injury plagued season in 2020. Foot injuries limited Mixon to just 119 carries last season and he rushed for 428 yards (3.6 ypc average) and three touchdowns. Samaje Perine gained 301 rushing yards (4.8 ypc) and scored three times. Wide receivers include Tyler Boyd (79 receptions for 841 yards and four TD), Tee Higgins (67, 908, six TD), rookie Ja'Marr Chase (LSU) and Stanley Morgan, Auden Tate and Mike Thomas. The tight ends are Drew Sample (40, 349, one TD) and C.J. Uzomah.
DEFENSE - The Bengals are adding Trey Hendrickson to the defensive front line this season along with stalwarts Sam Hubbard, D.J. Reader and Larry Ogunjobi. Hendrickson tallied 13 1/2 QB sacks with New Orleans last season. The linebackers are Akeem Davis-Gaither, Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson. Three rookies were taken in the NFL draft to bolster the defensive front in Joseph Ossai (Texas), Cam Sample (Tulane) and Tyler Shelvin (LSU). Keandre Jones, Markus Bailey and Jordan Evans will spell the linebackers.
The secondary features safeties Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates III along with corner men Trae Waynes and Chidobe Awuzie. Bell (114 tackles) and Bates (109 tackles) led the team in tackles. Veterans Eli Apple and Ricardo Allen join with Mike Hilton (three interceptions with Pittsburgh last year) and Brandon Wilson to provide depth for this season. The Bengals only had eleven interceptions and a league low 17 QB sacks in the 2020 season. In addition, Cincinnati finished 26th in total defense, allowing 389 yards per game. The run defense gave up 148 YPG while the pass defense allowed 241 yards per game. The Bengals allowed an average of 26.5 points per game last year.
2021 SEASON OUTLOOK - After a terrible start to the season, Burrow went out for the remainder of the season with the knee injury and the Bengals finished in last place in the rugged AFC North division. Head Coach Zac Taylor is heading into his third season in Cincy and things could be better this year, especially if Burrow and Mixon can avoid injuries.
The Bengals have newer and younger wide receivers for Burrow to throw to as longtime playmaker A.J. Green is now gone to Arizona and John Ross III is with the New York Giants. With tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and rookie speedster Ja'Marr Chase in the mix, Burrow will have plenty of options in the passing attack. In 2020, Cincinnati averaged 216 yards passing and 104 YPG rushing to make for a 320 yards per game average, which ranked 29th in the NFL. The Bengals scored 19.4 points per game, which was also 29th in the league.
With a somewhat easier looking first half schedule this year, perhaps the Bengals can avoid another slow start and gain confidence. The second part of the 17-game schedule looks very tough with the Bengals facing Cleveland (twice) along with division foes Pittsburgh and Baltimore among others from the AFC West division. The run defense must improve, evidenced by the number of defensive linemen drafted this year and two veterans coming along via free agency, including Trey Hendrickson, who is also a pass rushing beast.
As long as Burrow and Mixon remain in the starting lineup all season long, the offense should be much improved. The defense will be a big part of improving the teams record this year as well if the new pieces fit in place and perform as the Bengals would like. A 6-11 record would be a step forward from the last two years as the team looks to improve and get back to a level of respectability in their division.
2021 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - vs. Minnesota
Week 2 - at Chicago
Week 3 - at Pittsburgh
Week 4 - vs. Jacksonville
Week 5 - vs. Green Bay
Week 6 - at Detroit
Week 7 - at Baltimore
Week 8 - at N.Y. Jets
Week 9 - vs. Cleveland
Week 10 - BYE
Week 11 - at Las Vegas
Week 12 - vs. Pittsburgh
Week 13 - vs. L.A. Chargers
Week 14 - vs. San Francisco
Week 15 - at Denver
Week 16 - vs. Baltimore
Week 17 - vs. Kansas City
Week 18 - at Cleveland
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