By ERIC MOLLO
STAFF WRITER
From the Superbowl XLII shocker to New Orleans’ miracle run, if there’s one thing the NFL has taught us it’s that anyone can win it all. This time of year, our focus is on which teams are dominating, who has the most talent and who we think will be playing in America’s biggest game at the Meadowlands come February. It’s certainly logical and conceivable that teams like Denver, Seattle and Kansas City should be contenders for the title this season. And they will be. Teams like these are loaded with talent and are piling up the W’s early in the year. It would only make sense that they’re building championship squads.
But it’s important not to rush to judgment so early in the season. The beauty of the NFL is that circumstances change in the blink of an eye, and one injury, one play or one loss can change the entire course of a team’s season. It’s not all about talent and or a team’s record this early in the season, but the focus should be on which teams are built to sustain success and have proven they are capable of overcoming adversity. While it seems like a longshot now, the team I could see lifting up the Lombardi trophy this season is a team some may not even think will make the playoffs: the Cincinnati Bengals.
I am as skeptical as many other football fans are, but when I look at this team from top to bottom, I think they are capable of competing with and defeating the NFL’s best. Sitting in first place ahead of sleeping giants Baltimore and Pittsburgh, Cincinnati has some serious talent. To complement a strong secondary led by vets Terrence Newman and Reggie Nelson, they arguably have as good a front seven as any team in football. Geno Atkins, a two-time All-Pro and probably the league’s best defensive tackle, is paired with Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson (who are creating pressure but generating few sacks for now) to create a dangerous trio for opposing quarterbacks to handle. And outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict is a rising star who leads the league with seventy four tackles. Not to mention, they have one of the league’s most coveted coordinators, Mike Zimmer, operating the stingy defensive unit. It’s no surprise they’re in the top ten of almost every defensive category.
On offense, they’re mediocre but starting to come together. Andy Dalton has thrown for 709 yards and 6 touchdowns over his last two games and seems poised to continue posting big numbers with weapons A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert and Marvin Jones developing and coming on strong. Their run game can be improved, but overall, the offense has proven it can score enough to win this season.
But why is this team a Superbowl sleeper? Because they match up just right with contending teams. They create lots of pressure. We’ve seen from the past how pressure disrupts Peyton Manning and Alex Smith, the quarterbacks leading the AFC’s best teams, should they match up in the post season. Also, Cincinnati’s offensive line is about as dominant as any in the league. Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith create a stonewall tackle duo. If they could protect Dalton against the intense pressure of Denver’s Von Miller and Kansas City’s loaded front seven, Cincinnati may be able to outscore their opponents. A team that has some key skill position players who could dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball seems like a team that should be competing deep into January.
The skeptics have reasonable doubts. Andy Dalton is not a prolific quarterback like Manning or Brady, and has never been able to get over the hump come playoff time. This year, though, with their strong defensive and offensive lines, in addition to the uncertainty surrounding who exactly is the AFC’s best team, this may be the year Cincinnati makes it over the top and finds itself playing in the bitter cold of a Meadowlands Superbowl.
