Bengals get plenty of positive vibes in 2026 NFL season predictions

Posted by Admin July 23, 2026 NFL

The Cincinnati Bengals have become a popular dark horse team for the upcoming season for analysts who aren’t banking on old narratives holding true.

SB Nation’s Jarrett Bailey put together 61 predictions for the NFL season, and it would do a disservice to him to go over every single one that involves the Bengals here. But he had a really positive outlook for how their season will play out.

We’ll talk about several of the highlights here.

If things play out to Bailey’s predictions, Joe Burrow will have a career year that will help propel Cincinnati back into the playoffs.

He has Burrow topping 50 touchdowns and leading the league in passing yards. We also see Ja’Marr Chase get another triple crown. This time getting 20 touchdowns.

Obviously, with stats like that, it isn’t surprising some hardware also ends up with the Bengals’ stars. Burrow receives his first MVP award, and Chase gets his first Offensive Player of the Year award.

Because of the offensive explosion and a slightly improved defense, Bailey sees this not only being a return to the playoffs for the Bengals, but a strong run as well.

Starting with landing the No. 1 seed after winning the division for the first time since 2022. They also end up defeating the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game before suffering a loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl.

It is safe to say fans would take a season like this (minus the ending) in a heartbeat after the last three years of frustration for one reason or another.

Everyone knows what the offense is capable of, and maybe this is finally the year head coach Zac Taylor lets Burrow and company go out and try to win games with some more aggression early.

The defense coming together behind acquisitions like Dexter Lawrence and Bryan Cook, and Burrow ultimately staying healthy are the two biggest X-factors this team faces. If those both break Cincinnati’s way, then it is hard to believe this team isn’t bound for the postseason. And once they make it, Burrow has usually been able to put a run together.

What do you think of the predictions, and what are some you have for this team?