The 2024 NFL season was a tale of two halves for the Cincinnati Bengals.
After their start to the season, one might think that they haven’t made the playoffs in some time, that they were among the worst teams in the league according to their record.
They managed to pull themselves together in the back half of the season, headlined by Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase’s remarkable connection.
This prolific offensive performance wasn’t enough for them to make the postseason, their second-straight year out of the playoffs.
For a team that was in the Super Bowl a few years ago, this is certainly a frustrating result, one that has significantly underwhelmed expectations.
Injuries have played their part in it, but even though their roster is looking healthy ahead of the 2025 campaign, analyst Nick Wright still doesn’t think they’ll make it to the big dance.
“I think the Bengals are staring at a third-straight year of missing the playoffs and that should be unacceptable with that quarterback and those receivers,” Wright said on “First Things First.”
“I think the Bengals are staring at a 3rd-straight year of missing the playoffs and that should be unacceptable with that quarterback and those receivers.”
— @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/lG6Hd3mWQl
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) July 29, 2025
Wright and his team at FS1 noted the Bengals’ schedule, which sees them playing the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, and Green Bay Packers in a four-week stretch.
They do open their season against the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars, which could point to a strong start, but this difficult stretch could put the Bengals in another tough situation.
Later in the year, the Bengals take on the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and the Ravens (again), in what might be the most grueling portion of games for any AFC team.
If the Bengals aren’t careful against these top-tier opponents, they could find themselves out of the playoffs like Wright suggests.
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