Bengals Beat Podcast Live, with Mike Gesicki and Kurt Reiber
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki joins beat reporter Kelsey Conway to promote the Freestore Foodbank’s annual Taste of the Bengals event.
Bengals goal for 2025 is clear, return to the playoffs after missing in consecutive seasonsBengals’ explosive offense wasn’t enough last season despite its gaudy numbers
The NFL season begins this week and expectations for the Cincinnati Bengals this year are crystal clear.
It’s playoffs or bust.
After two consecutive years of missing the playoffs with arguably the best quarterback and wide receiver in the league, everyone inside and outside of the Bengals’ organization knows pressure is mounting for Cincinnati to get back to the postseason.
And Bengals’ offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher isn’t afraid to say when asked what expectations for his unit should be.
“For all the records, the accolades and whatever it was last year, we were watching football on our couches in January, and that can’t happen again,” Pitcher said. “So, whatever we gotta do to win, that’s all we care about.”
Bengals offense ready to do whatever it takes to carry team to more wins
The Bengals owned the No. 1 passing offense (272.9 yards per game) in the NFL last season and ranked No. 6 in points per game (27.8). Quarterback Joe Burrow led the NFL in passing yards and was an MVP finalist.
Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase cemented his case as the best wideout in the game winning the prestigious triple crown award after leading the league in catches (127), yards (1,708) and touchdowns (17).
Despite all of this, Cincinnati won only nine games. Since the moment the 2024 season concluded, head coach Zac Taylor and his staff dedicated the entire offseason to figuring out how the team can operate at a higher level all season long in hopes of getting back to the playoffs.
Burrow, Chase and wide receiver Tee Higgins are all back for another year together. There was no contract drama with any of the star players this year and each player was able to participate in every training camp practice. They also got two preseason quarters together.
“I think we’ve had a good camp,” Pitcher said. “I think Joe’s in a really good place. I think our playmakers are in really good places.”
Sprinkle in the evolution of running back Chase Brown and the return of tight end Mike Gesicki. The Bengals’ offense is loaded once again, and Burrow’s passing attack should be even better this season.
The only questions that surround the Bengals on offense pertain to the offensive line and specifically the right guard position. Cincinnati has yet to name a starter at right guard, but all signs point to it being Lucas Patrick for at least the Week 1 game in Cleveland. Veteran guard Dalton Risner was signed on Aug. 28 and will compete with Patrick for the job.
Center Ted Karras, left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and right tackle Amarius Mims all return for another year together. The Bengals will be starting a rookie at left guard with third-round pick Dylan Fairchild winning the job.
If Patrick or Risner can give the Bengals quality play and Fairchild can get through rookie growing pains, the Bengals should be better on the offensive line this season under new offensive line coach Scott Peters.
“I’m comfortable with how the line has developed,” Pitcher said. “I feel good where we’re at, so now it’s just about going out and executing.”
On defense, the foundation is built on four principles
The Bengals decided to move on from former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo after six seasons with the franchise, but he was not the only one being scrutinized. Director of personnel Duke Tobin and his personnel staff are under immense pressure to get the defense better positioned for success from a talent standpoint.
The Bengals ranked No. 25 in points allowed per game (25.5) last season and No. 21 in 2023. Cincinnati’s run and pass defense hasn’t been good enough and the lack of productivity from the pass rush has crippled the team over the last two years. Collectively, they must be better in all three of these areas to get back to playing football in late January.
New defensive coordinator Al Golden will make changes, and a new voice was needed to lead the defense. How the defense performs this year won’t fall squarely on Golden’s shoulders, though. And that’s why the biggest question on defense heading into the season from pundits and fans alike is if the organization did enough on defense this offseason to improve?
Only time will tell. But the foundation of what Golden wants his unit to be built on is clear. Golden says his defense will be graded on how they perform in these four areas: Ball disruption, effort, situational football and tackling.
Those are four non-negotiables in a Golden-led defense.
“The biggest thing for me is it’s always gonna come back to the Big 4,” Golden said on Sept. 1. “That might be boring for the people. We have to take the ball away, especially in September. It’s gonna be huge to start fast in terms of that. Play with great effort, be great in the situations, whether it’s third down, getting some fourth-down stops, redzone, and tackling. Tackling’s gonna be paramount in the opener. Other than that, it’s to conduct the game in a way we can win and that’s the most important thing.”
For months, the Bengals have turned their full attention to winning on the road on Sept. 7. And according to Taylor, everyone is “champing at the bit” to face a division opponent and get a fresh start.