By Conrad Clowers
Herald Sports Writer
It’s almost as if the Cincinnati Bengals went to sleep after the 2019 season. They dreamed they would have two years of domination. They would go to a Super Bowl and play in back-to-back championships, winning one. The wakeup call would come in a fitting end to 2023. On the final day of the year the Cincinnati Bengals would be eliminated from playoff contention. It would be the first time in 3 years Cincinnati will watch other teams fight for the right to be called world champions. The city that was just getting use to pep rallies and bars getting game balls from Zac Taylor for playoff victories will be silent in early 24.
It would be an old nemesis that would dash the Bengals dreams. You guessed it. The Kansas City freakin’ Chiefs. Maybe the Chiefs are still upset about losing to the Bengals in the 2021 AFC Championship in Kansas City. Who knows.
Times have changed as well as have the two teams.
Kansas City has not had anywhere near the dominant team they’ve had the past four seasons.
Injuries finally caught up to Cincinnati in 2023. That combined with inconsistent play have left Zac Taylor’s Bengals with one thing to fight for. Will the team finish as winners or losers. Cincinnati is currently 8-8. The season finale against the Cleveland Browns will determine if 2023 will go down as a winning season or a losing one. Should the Bengals lose to Cleveland they will finish the 2023 season with an unbelievable record of 0-6 in the AFC North Division.
Going into the 2023 season, Cincinnati was picked by most experts to win the North. Right from the beginning of the season the team struggled. All-world QB Joe Burrow did not get right until after 4-5 games into the season, as he missed most of training camp with a calf injury. As soon as Burrows calf gets healthy, his season abruptly ends with a torn ligament in his hand. Offensive inconsistency and defensive underachieving combined with injuries left Cincinnati behind the 8 ball.
When the clock strikes 0.00, Cincinnati can officially turn their eyes to the 2024 draft. There will be a host of Bengals that may or may not be back for the 2024 season. Two of the biggest names are wide receiver Tee Higgins and defensive tackle D.J Reader. The economics of football allows you only to be able to pay a limited number of superstars. The team will have some hard decisions to make. For now enjoy the Tee Higgins and many other free agents on the Bengal roster at least one more time against the Browns. It may be the last chance you get.