It\u2019s unfair, when you think about it, how much weight a first impression carries. Not just in social settings either. Go to a new restaurant and have a bad experience? Odds are you won\u2019t return. Was the server just having a bad day? Did the kitchen have a rare miss? Doesn\u2019t matter. You get one chance to prove you\u2019re worth someone\u2019s time. Slip up, and that chance is gone.<\/p>\n
The Cincinnati Bengals know that lesson all too well. Under Zac Taylor, slow starts have haunted them. Outside of 2021 and 2022, the opening month has been a wasteland. Through the first four games of 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2024, they went a combined 3-12-1. Contrast that with the two AFC Championship seasons, when they opened 5-3, and you see how razor-thin the margin is.<\/p>\n
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This offseason, the Bengals kept their word. They extended or re-signed Ja\u2019Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Trey Hendrickson. They grabbed Dalton Risner late, giving Joe Burrow the best offensive line he\u2019s had by a mile. They added Noah Fant as another weapon, bolstered depth on the defensive front, and will get 40% of their secondary back from injury. They even made the bold move of changing defensive coordinators, replacing Lou Anarumo with Al Golden.<\/p>\n
On paper, they are better than the 2024 version\u2014on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they\u2019re terrifying. Defensively, even if they land somewhere in the middle of the league, that\u2019s enough to keep them in Super Bowl contention if injuries don\u2019t pile up. Could they have done more? Sure. But between Risner, Mike Pennel, and their defensive draft class, they\u2019ve done enough to give themselves a legitimate shot.<\/p>\n
That shot starts Sunday. Taylor played Burrow and the starters more than ever this preseason, and it should pay off. The Bengals are a better team than the Browns\u2014especially at quarterback. Cleveland will try to muck things up, but I\u2019ll take Burrow-to-Chase\/Higgins over Flacco-Njoku-Jeudy all day, every day.<\/p>\n
The recipe is simple: come out swinging. Score early, score often. Put up 40 if you can. If the Bengals dictate tempo, Cleveland\u2019s run game gets neutralized. If not, it could be a grind.<\/p>\n
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Defensively, it\u2019s still a mystery. We\u2019ve only seen watered-down preseason looks. Can rookies like Demetrius Knight, Barrett Carter, and Shemar Stewart make an impact right away? There\u2019s a ton of potential energy here. Whether it becomes kinetic\u2014we\u2019ll need a few weeks to know.<\/p>\n
Bottom line: this season comes down to the Bengals\u2019 first impression. If they hit the ground running, they\u2019ll set themselves up for a playoff push. And with Burrow, once you\u2019re in, anything is possible.<\/p>\n
Random Thoughts Entering Week 1<\/p>\n
All the pressure is on Cincinnati. The Browns aren\u2019t picked to win or make the playoffs. The Bengals are\u2014and they need to shake the \u201cslow start\u201d monkey off their back.<\/p>\n
Cleveland\u2019s defense won\u2019t make life easy for Burrow. Expect them to throw the kitchen sink at him.<\/p>\n
Key matchup: the Browns ground game vs the Bengals\u2019 defensive front. If Jerome Ford finds daylight, it could be a long afternoon.<\/p>\n
The Bengals\u2019 offensive depth is absurd. Chase, Higgins, Gesicki, Fant, Iosivas\u2014pick your poison. Give Burrow time and they\u2019re not just \u201chard\u201d to defend. They\u2019re impossible to defend.<\/p>\n
Risner gives them flexibility at guard, something they desperately needed before he signed.<\/p>\n
NFL Top 100 gripe: Ja\u2019Marr at No. 4 makes sense, but there aren\u2019t five players better or more impactful than Burrow. He should be No. 1 or No. 2.<\/p>\n
My X Factor? Dax Hill. We haven\u2019t seen him fully at corner, but this is the year that changes. The Bengals drafted him in the first round in 2022 for a reason.<\/p>\n
Watch out for Chase Brown. With all the attention on Burrow and the passing game, he has the chance to sneak up on the league.<\/p>\n
Game Pick: Bengals by a million<\/p>\n