(AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Key Players Returning:
QB Joe Burrow, RB Giovani Bernard, RB Joe Mixon, WR Tyler Boyd, WR Tee Higgins, TE Drew Sample, OC Trey Hopkins, OG Michael Jordan, OG Quinton Spain, OT Jonah Williams, DE Sam Hubbard, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB Germaine Pratt, LB Logan Wilson, CB Darius Phillips, FS Jessie Bates, SS Vonn Bell, KR Brandon Wilson, and PT Kevin Huber.
Key Players Departing:
WR A.J. Green (Cardinals). DE Carl Lawson (Jets), DT Geno Atkins (UFA), DT Christian Covington (Chargers), LB Josh Bynes (UFA), CB Mackenzie Alexander (Vikings), CB William Jackson (WFT), CB LeShaun Sims (UFA), PR Alex Erickson (Texans), and PK Randy Bullock (Lions).
Key Players Added:
OT Riley Reiff (Vikings), DE Trey Hendrickson (Saints), DT Larry Ogunjobi (Browns), CB Chidobe Awuzie (Cowboys), NB Mike Hilton (Steelers), and PR Trent Taylor (49ers).
Draft Picks:
Round 1: Pick 005 – WR Ja’Marr Chase (LSU)
Round 2: Pick 046 – OT Jackson Carman (Clemson)
Round 3: Pick 069 – DE Joseph Ossai (Texas)
Round 4: Pick 111 – DE Cameron Sample (Tulane)
Round 4: Pick 149 – DT Tyler Shelvin (LSU)
Round 4: Pick 139 – OT D’Ante Smith (East Carolina)
Round 5: Pick 149 – PK Evan McPherson (Florida)
Round 6: Pick 190 – OC Trey Hill (Georgia)
Round 6: Pick 202 – RB Chris Evans (Michigan)
2020 Results:
W01 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS L 13-16
W02 at Cleveland Browns L 30-35
W03 at Philadelphia Eagles T 23-23
W04 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS W 33-25
W05 at Baltimore Ravens L 3-27
W06 at Indianapolis Colts L 27-31
W07 CLEVEALND BROWNS L 34-37
W08 TENNESSEE TITANS W 31-20
W10 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 10-36
W11 at Washington FT L 9-20
W12 NEW YORK GIANTS L 17-19
W13 at Miami Dolphins L 7-19
W14 DALLAS COWBOYS L 7-30
W15 PITTSBURGH STEELERS W 27-17
W16 at Houston Texans W 37-31
W17 BALTMORE RAVENS L 3-38
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 4-11-1 (4th in AFC North)
Home: 3-5
Away: 1-6-1
North: 1-5
AFC: 4-8
NFC: 0-3-1
Head Coach: Zac Taylor
Cincinnati: 6-25-1
Career: 6-25-1
Playoffs: 0-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Joe Burrow (264-404, 2688 yards, 65.3%, 6.7 avg., 13 TD, 5 INT.)
Rushing: Joe Mixon (119 car., 428 yards, 3.6 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving: Tyler Boyd (79 rec., 841 yards, 10.6 avg., 4 TD)
Yards After Catch: Tyler Boyd/Giovani Bernard (363)
TD’s Scored: Giovani Bernard/Tee Higgins (6)
Sacks: Sam Hubbard (2)
Tackles: Vonn Bell (114)
Interceptions: Jessie Bates (3)
Pass Deflections: Jessee Bates (9)
Tackles For Loss: Germaine Pratt (5.5)
Forced Fumbles: Carlos Dunlap/Brandon Wilson (2)
Kick Returns: Brandon Wilson (24 ret., 629 yards, 26.2 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Austin Seibert (6-8 fg/fga., 75%, 8-8 xp/xpa., 105 pts.)
Punting: Kevin Huber (71 punts, 3350 yards, 47.2 avg., 19 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 9 Joe Burrow
RB: 28 Joe Mixon
WR: 1 Ja’Marr Chase |R|
WR: 83 Tyler Boyd
WR: 85 Tee Higgins
TE: 89 Drew Sample
LT: 73 Jonah Williams
LG: 60 Michael Jordan
OC: 66 Trey Hopkins
RG: 67 Quinton Spain
RT: 71 Riley Reiff
KR: 40 Brandon Wilson
PK: 3 Austin Seibert
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 94 Sam Hubbard
DT: 65 Larry Ogunjobi
NT: 98 D.J. Reader
DE: 91 Trey Hendrickson
LB: 59 Akeem Davis-Gaither
LB: 55 Logan Wilson
LB: 57 Germaine Pratt
CB: 23 Darius Phillips
CB: 22 Chidobe Awuzie
FS: 30 Jessie Bates
SS: 24 Vonn Bell
PR: 23 Darius Phillips
PT: 10 Kevin Huber
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: C
Defense:
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: C
Secondary: A
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/12 MINNESOTA VIKINGS | Cincinnati trails the series 6-7. The Bengals lost (7-34) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
09/19 at Chicago Bears | Cincinnati leads the series 6-5. The Bengals lost (7-33) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
09/26 at Pittsburgh Steelers | Cincinnati trails the series 36-67. The Bengals are 4-17 since 2011, and their last series road win (16-10) was in 2015.
09/30 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | Cincinnati trails the series 10-13. The Bengals are 4-2 since 2011, and their last series loss (17-27) was in 2019.
10/10 GREEN BAY PACKERS | Cincinnati leads the series 7-6. The Bengals lost (24-27) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
10/17 at Detroit Lions | Cincinnati leads the series 9-3. The Bengals won (26-17) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
10/24 at Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati trails the series 23-27. The Bengals are 9-11 since 2011, and their last series road win (31-27) was in 2017.
10/31 at New York Jets | Cincinnati trails the series 10-17. The Bengals won (22-6) the last meeting between teams in 2019, and their last series loss (10-26) was in 2010.
11/07 CLEVELAND BROWNS | Cincinnati leads the series 51-44. The Bengals are 11-9 since 2011, and their last series home win (33-23) was in 2019.
11/21 at Las Vegas Raiders | Cincinnati trails the series 11-21. The Bengals lost (10-17) the last meeting between teams in 2019, and their last series win (30-16) was in 2018.
11/28 PITTSBURGH STEELERS | The Bengals last series home loss (10-16) was in 2019.
12/05 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | Cincinnati trails the series 15-22. The Bengals lost (13-16) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series win (24-19) was in 2015.
12/12 SAN FRANCISCOS 49ERS | Cincinnati trails the series 4-12. The Bengals lost (17-41) the last meeting between teams in 2019.
12/19 at Denver Broncos | Cincinnati trails the series 10-22. The Bengals lost (10-24) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series win (20-17) was in 2017.
12/26 BALTIMORE RAVENS | The Bengals last series home win (34-23) was in 2018.
01/02 KANSAS CITY CHEIFS | Cincinnati leads the series 15-14. The Bengals lost (10-45) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series win (36-21) was in 2015.
01/09 at Cleveland Browns | The Bengals last series road win (31-7) was in 2017.
Prediction:
Home: 2-7
Away: 0-8
DIV: 0-6
AFC: 1-11
NFC: 1-4
Overall: 2-15 (4th in AFC North)
UFA: Unrestricted Free Agent
Series Histories: Histories are from the inception of the first Super Bowl season through present day. Meetings prior to 1966 are not included. Playoff wins are included in the year the season took place. For example, if a team won a wildcard game in January of 2016, the game will be listed under the 2015 season.
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