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The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t quite have the season they wanted, but it wasn’t a complete failure. They improved on their 2-14 record from 2019 but not by much. They finished the season with a 4-11-1 record and finished last in the AFC North in 2020. They missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year and were in their first season without Andy Dalton. We wouldn’t quite say that was the reason for their under .500 season, though.
For the first time since 2003, the Bengals had the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. They used this pick to select Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. Unfortunately for the Bengals, Burrow suffered a knee injury halfway through the season. This left the Bengals in a terrible position as Burrow was having a great rookie season.
The good news is Burrow will be back for 2021, and the Bengals can try to improve on last season.
2021 Cincinnati Bengals Futures Betting Odds
Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl Champion Odds: +10000
Cincinnati Bengals AFC Champion Odds: +4500
Cincinnati Bengals Win Totals Odds: Over 6.5 (-125) / Under 6.5 (-105)
Cincinnati Bengals AFC North Champion Odds: +2500
It might be counting the chickens before they hatch to say the Bengals can make the playoffs in 2021. They’ll definitely have an improved season, as long as Joe Burrow can stay healthy. If not, they could potentially be facing the same outing as 2020. Winning the AFC North, a division with the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, won’t be easy either. Last season, the Bengals lost both games to the Ravens and Cleveland Browns. They did, however, split games with the Steelers.
Taking the Bengals to win the AFC Championship is probably one of the silliest bets you can make. First, they’d have to make the playoffs, then beat out the Titans, Colts, Chiefs, and Ravens for the spot. The prospect of them winning over seven games this year is likely the most promising bet.
2021 Cincinnati Bengals Offseason Grade: C+
Key Additions: (G, Quinton Spain), (CB, Eli Apple)
Key Departures: (RB, Giovani Bernard), (CB, Jonathan Joseph)
Not many moves were made by the Bengals in the offseason aside from the NFL Draft. They’ll likely be relying heavily on the rookies this season. One rookie prospect worth noticing is wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase from LSU.
You could likely imagine that the reason Cincinnati grabbed Chase was to give Burrow a familiar target. These two should do well together and bring more electricity to the offense.
In terms of departures, Giovani Bernard was a great receiving running back. He was always a threat when he came out of the backfield. The Bengals still have Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine, so they should be set there.
Jonathan Joseph retiring is a big loss to the Bengals secondary, but they made sure to pick up Eli Apple. Apple’s not quite as good as Joseph but should be a worthy replacement.
Cincinnati Bengals 2021 Preview
What we can expect this year from the Bengals is an improved season, but only slightly. We shouldn’t expect this team to go over .500 or win the AFC North in 2021. They’ll likely improve on their record from 2020, with a 6-11 season.
This is, of course, only if Burrow is able to stay healthy for the year. If something happens to him, the Bengals’ 2021 season will look nearly identical to 2020.
Cincinnati Bengals Futures Best Bets
The bet you should take on the Bengals in 2021 is the over on the wins total. We expect them to finish 6-11 but, there is the prospect of them splitting games with the Steelers. If they do that, their record will increase to 7-10, hitting the over.
Although it’s possible they’ll get swept by the AFC North, the team they’d be able to beat is Pittsburgh. Take the over on the win total to try and secure some winnings on the Bengals in 2021.
