Every season the AFC seems to be the favorite over the NFC to have the future Super Bowl Champion. In 2014, the pundits seem to be thinking the same way. With teams like the Broncos, Patriots, and Colts, the AFC will look to regain its dominance that the conference has held for so many years. Like their NFC counterparts, these teams are quietly good. Here is a breakdown of all 16 AFC teams and how the standings will look like when the season is all said and done:

Peyton Manning and the Broncos are the kings of the AFC, but will they make another appearance in the Super Bowl? By United States Marine Corps/Sgt. D.R. Cotton [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Denver Broncos: As football fans, we can all hope that Peyton Manning and the Broncos put the beat down they received in the Super Bowl behind them and get back to playing Bronco football. Denver especially revamped their defense with additions of DeMarcus Ware and Aqib Talib. They lost Eric Decker and Knowshon Moreno but this gives Montee Ball time to shine. The Broncos will be strong contenders once again next year.

Record: 12-4, division winner

San Diego Chargers: After making some noise in the playoffs, the Chargers are primed to try and build on that success, but 2014 isn’t the year for them. The AFC is so strong and even with the addition of Brandon Flowers, which I really like, the Chargers will barely miss the playoffs. Keenan Allen is an absolute stud and will help the Chargers offense but their defense is still weak which will be their downfall.

Record: 8-8

Kansas City Chiefs: I really hope I am wrong about this one but I don’t see the Chiefs repeating their 2013 success. I still can’t get over the epic playoff fail where they blew a 28-point lead to the Colts. Personally, I love Jamaal Charles but aside from him who is going to score or be a real offensive weapon? Look for the Chiefs to take a step back in 2014.

Record: 7-9

Oakland Raiders: The Black Hole should get excited this season and it isn’t because of the playoffs. The Raiders have built a semi competitive team for the first time in what seems like forever. Additions of Matt Schaub, Justin Tuck, James Jones, LaMar Woodley, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Khalil Mack will make this team interesting. If they could only get another WR or two, this team could be a playoff team. Plus this may be one of their last years in Oakland, so their fans better appreciate this team before it’s gone.

Record: 6-10

AFC East:

New England Patriots: With Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the Patriots will again be a top team in the AFC. I am just worried about their offense. They get Rob Gronkowski back, but they lost Legarrette Blount to Pittsburgh. Blount provided them will a large spark of offense. I’m sure they will find a way to do it yet again; I mean they are the Patriots after all right?

Record: 11-5, division winner

Miami Dolphins: After almost making the playoffs last season, I see the Dolphins being hungry for the taste of the postseason. They seem to have put the whole bullying situation last season behind them and will look to bring Miami back to the postseason. Adding Knowshon Moreno will give them some extra spark to their offensive attack. I look for the Dolphins to win a wild card spot in the playoffs this season.

Record: 9-7

New York Jets: J-E-T-S. JETS JETS JETS! After adding Eric Decker and Chris Johnson to their offense and adding rookie Calvin Pryor to a defense that puts out Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and Calvin Pace, the Jets defense is in good shape. While they are close, I still think they are a year away from the playoffs.

Record: 8-8

Buffalo Bills: IF the Bills can stay healthy they could an annoying matchup for some teams. They are still a few years away from really contending. I love the drafting of wide receiver, Sammy Watkins for them and they still have CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson at running back. I look for them to win a few games they shouldn’t win but they will end up in the lower-middle of the AFC standings.

Record: 5-11

AFC North:

Cincinnati Bengals: I understand that Andy Dalton has struggled during the playoffs but during the regular season, he has been pretty good. What I don’t understand is why everyone is so down on the Bengals this season. They are coming off an 11-5 record with a division crown. They drafted Darqueze Dennard out of Michigan State whom will vastly help their secondary, which was the weakest part of their top 3 ranked defense. Losing Mike Zimmer will hurt but losing Jay Gruden, as the OC will help them. Hue Jackson taking over means a more balanced offense with smarter play calling so no more throwing the ball at the 1 yard line. A second straight division title is in store for Cincinnati.

Record: 10-6, division winner

Baltimore Ravens: After missing the playoffs in 2013, the Ravens spent the offseason making sure they get back in 2014. Adding Steve Smith and drafting CJ Mosley out of Alabama are moves that will help them do so. Look for Joe Flacco and the Ravens to return to the playoffs where they rightfully belong.

Record: 9-7

Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel will dominate the headlines for the Browns this season and for good reason. If the Browns are smart and start him over Brian Hoyer, the Browns might have a chance to contend. Their only problem is that they don’t really have any receivers since Josh Gordon is too busy smoking pot to play football. Their defense is stacked with Paul Kruger, Justin Gilbert, Donte Whitner, and Joe Haden. The Browns are a season and a wide receiver away from actually contending again.

Record: 7-9

Pittsburgh Steelers: After making a strong push for the playoffs last season, the Steelers fell short on a bad call by the referees. The Steelers are one of the best organizations in all of sports but that won’t help them in 2014. They are an older football team that will fail to make the playoffs again in 2014. They could surprise everyone and have a resurrection but I personally just don’t see it.

Record: 6-10

AFC South:

Indianapolis Colts: Too many times, people get caught up in what happens in the playoffs and they put players on pedestals because of it. I am a huge believer in Andrew Luck but the Chiefs lost the playoff game last season more than he brought his team back and won it. It was a 28-point comeback so that is a major failure by the Chiefs, but I am not trying to take anything away from Luck and the Colts. They benefit from being in the worst division in football and will again make the playoffs and look to build on their success again.

Record: 11-5

Tennessee Titans: It seems that each season the Titans have an average season yet don’t really do anything about it. They lost Chris Johnson and cornerback Alterraun Verner and Jake Locker has potential but has yet to do anything with that potential. The Titans will have another lackluster season and miss the playoffs again.

Record: 7-9

Houston Texans: Outside of their quarterback situation, which is extremely important, the Texans if they can stay healthy are just a piece or two away from making the playoffs again. Their defense is scary-good with Jadeveon Clowney and J.J. Watt on each side of the ball. They still have Andre Johnson and Arian Foster but both are just getting older so the Texans need to try and find a quarterback, and fast. Hopefully they can win some games this season and then try and fix the holes in the team during the next offseason.

Record: 6-10

Jacksonville Jaguars: This is a team that I really like in about two-three years. I hope Blake Bortles gets a chance this season as he has tremendous upside but for some reason, the Jaguars management doesn’t seem to want him to play in 2014. Marqise Lee was a great second round pickup for this team. The Jags will be back in the lottery of the draft but are only a few seasons away from making the playoffs if everything pans out.

Record: 5-11

Playoff Standings:

1. Denver Broncos
2. New England Patriots
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Cincinnati Bengals
5. Baltimore Ravens (won tiebreaker with Dolphins)
6. Miami Dolphins

In contention: New York Jets, San Diego Chargers, and Kansas City Chiefs

Let’s compare these two stat lines.

First 3 career seasons: 85 TD, 58 INT, 12, 287 yards thrown, 60.4 completion %

First 3 career seasons: 80 TD, 49 INT, 11,360 yards thrown, 60.9 completion %

With his new major contract, Andy Dalton needs to live up to his potential in the upcoming season. By Navin75, via Wikimedia Commons

The bottom: Andy Dalton.

A little over 1,000 more yards thrown and nine more interceptions by the Manning are all that really separate  these two quarterbacks’ statistics through their first three seasons in the NFL.

The difference, or lack thereof, is pretty shocking to most once the names are provided — especially with what we now know Manning to be and have seen what Dalton hasn’t done come playoff time. Like Dalton, Peyton Manning was also 0-3 in his first three-playoff games. I’m not saying Andy Dalton is going to be the next Peyton Manning but the stats from their first three seasons are similar.

The Bengals recently re-signed Andy Dalton to a six-year, $116 million deal, and it has been heavily scrutinized. Dalton has played very poorly in each of his three-playoff games, so many question why the Bengals would re-sign him and also why they would invest so much money into him. What many people don’t realize is that Andy Dalton has been a very productive quarterback for the Bengals, bringing lots of stability to an otherwise unstable organization. Other than a few seasons in the 80s, the Cincinnati Bengals have historically been bad. Really bad. Dalton is the first quarterback to lead them to the playoffs three seasons in a row, including winning a division title in 2013. Every season his stats and the team’s record have improved, but all anyone remembers are the bad playoff games. I am not trying to give Dalton a pass for those games but you also have to remember that football is a team sport and Dalton didn’t lose the games on his own.

2011 vs. Texans: Lost 31-10, the whole team played bad including Dalton. Cincinnati’s defense gave up 153 yards and two touchdowns to Arian Foster.

2012 vs. Texans: Lost 19-13, the team didn’t show up yet again including Dalton. The Bengals’ D allowed 420 yards to Houston’s offense.

2013 vs. Chargers: Lost 27-10, the whole team didn’t show up in the second half. Lead 10-7 at halftime and if not for a Giovani Bernard fumble at the SD 3-yard line, the score would have been 17-7 at half.

While Dalton did have some part of the playoff loses, it isn’t and shouldn’t be solely on him. Dalton is only going to be starting his fourth NFL season and everyone acts as if he has been here for years and years failing every time. How many other NFL quarterbacks can say that they have made the playoffs as the starting quarterback in each of their first three seasons? The answer is only five, and Dalton is one of them. He is also just one of three quarterbacks in NFL history to have thrown for over 3,000 yards in each of his first three seasons, joining Cam Newton and Peyton Manning, and is just one of three to have passed for at least 20 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons, joining Manning and Dan Marino.

Offense coordinator Jay Gruden is out in Cincinnati and has been replaced by the more level-headed Hue Jackson. Jackson was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2011 when he guided them to only their second non-losing season since 2002. Jackson will help Dalton and the Bengals have a much more balanced offensive attack, so I’ll expect Dalton and the Bengals to be even better in 2014. Dalton is still young and still can grow so lets wait to see how the next few seasons pan out before we condemn him as not being a “big time” quarterback.

Over the course of their franchise history, the Cincinnati Bengals have rarely been relevant in terms of the playoffs or winning seasons.

Lately though, the team has had a major turnaround making the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. This turnaround is largely credited to the offensive play of Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green and quarterback, Andy Dalton.

In the three seasons the two have been on the Bengals, they have improved their record each season going 9-7, 10-6 and finally 11-5 this past season. Despite the regular season success they’ve had, the Bengals have failed to win a playoff game. In fact, the franchise hasn’t won a postseason game in almost 25 years.

Could 2014 finally be the year Andy Dalton leads the Bengals to a playoff win?  By emeybee (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

The 2014-2015 season will mark the fourth year of the Dalton era. While the signal caller has played well during the regular season, he and the rest of his team have faltered come playoff time. The Bengals front office has shown general improvement in getting productive players onto the field. What success the Bengals have had can be attributed largely to the draft. The 2014 NFL Draft was no different as the Bengals drafted very well, yet again.

Draft Picks

The Bengals’ first pick (Round 1, 24th overall) was cornerback, Darqueze Dennard, aka “No Fly Zone,” from Michigan State who will most definitely shore-up their secondary. The defensive backfield has been the only thing keeping the Bengals from being a top-five defense.

In the second round (55th pick overall), the Black and Orange made a surprising selection by taking LSU running back Jeremy Hill. Hill’s combination of ground-and-pound style of running and speed will make for a great duo with Giovani Bernard. The Bengals’ entire draft can be seen here, but the most intriguing draft pick was the fifth-round selection of Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron.

Coming into the draft it was speculated the Bengals would select a quarterback in case Dalton messed-up again in the postseason. McCarron won two titles while at Alabama and is considered one of the smartest and most accurate passers in the draft. The Bengals got a steal of a player at quarterback by selecting McCarron in the fifth round and he will play with a chip on his shoulder after dropping so low.

Outlook on the 2014-2015 season

The Bengals won the AFC North division in 2013-14, but repeating won’t be an easy task. The Ravens, Browns and Steelers all improved their teams from a season ago and the Bengals play a tough schedule. Their October could be considered the month of death for the Bengals as they play at New England, at home against Carolina, at Indianapolis and finally home against Baltimore. Despite it being early in the season, that month could determine the Bengals’ fate as it pits them against three top teams in the AFC.

Although the Bengals play a tough schedule, they are playing it for a reason and that is because they are a good team. Based on whom they play and where they play the games, my prediction for the Bengals is an 11-5 record for the second straight year. They have their bye week early-on in the season (week 4) so the end of the season will be a grind, but maybe this is the year that they finally win a playoff game for the first time since 1990.

After yet another postseason loss, the Cincinnati Bengals extended their streak of consecutive seasons without a playoff win to an NFL-leading 23 years. Coming into the 2013 NFL season, the Bengals had very high hopes for a long season after building a talented team over the last few years. Adding veteran linebacker James Harrison to an already athletic and physical defense seemed to make the Bengals one of the best defenses in all the NFL. Coming off an 10-6 record from 2012, Bengals fans like me expected them to win their division and make a run at the Super Bowl.

Andy Dalton will receive much criticism and scrutiny this coming offseason after another poor playoff performance. By Navin75 (Flickr: QB Andy Dalton), via Wikimedia Commons

They would have a home playoff game for the first time since 2009 against the San Diego Chargers who just barely snuck into the playoffs after finishing the year on a high note. Cincinnati posted an 8-0 record at home during the regular season so it seemed as if the Chargers would be no match for the Bengals at “The Jungle”, especially since the Bengals had gone into San Diego and beat the Chargers on the road just a few weeks ago. But the Chargers outscore the Bengals 20-0 at the end of the game to advance to the divisional round of the playoffs.

It was a very disappointing loss for a team with such high expectations. Many will put the blame on quarterback Andy Dalton after posting another below-average playoff performance. His stature as the Bengals quarterback is now in question and I, for one, don’t understand. While I will agree that he needs to play better in the playoffs, he has led his team to the playoffs three consecutive years for the first time in franchise history. During each of his first three seasons, he has improved his statistics and his team’s record. For some reason we expect these young quarterbacks to come into the NFL and win a Super Bowl immediately. It takes time and everyone needs to calm down about Dalton.

The loss to the Chargers wasn’t all Daltons fault either. If Giovani Bernard wouldn’t have fumbled the ball at the four yard-line and if the offensive line would have decided to show up then it might have been a much different game. Peyton Manning didn’t win a playoff game until his fifth NFL season and look at him now. Sure, Dalton will need to improve his play, but he is currently on a very talented team that will break through. Fans just needs to be patient. Nobody likes to be patient when it comes to an NFL quarterback but with Dalton we need to be. He is a very good quarterback but is still young and I expect him to prove all his doubters wrong next season.

Ah it’s that time of the year again.

It’s a time where every single player in the NFL and all the loving and passionate fans can have real hope that maybe, just maybe this is the year their team will win the Super Bowl. It’s great isn’t it? For a football fan, the start of the NFL season can be compared to a child entering a candy store for the first time in their lives, exciting and new. Each year brings new stories, new players and a healthy amount of restored hope.

As we await kickoff, the questions start to surface about which teams will still be standing in February. For the first time in my lifetime, the Super Bowl will be held in a cold weather location — MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It’s going to be a great NFL season so here are my final pre-season predictions for the 2013-2014 NFL season:

Will Cam Newton finally lead the Panthers to the playoffs? By Pantherfan11, via Wikimedia Commons

NFC East: #4 New York Giants

NFC North: #3 Green Bay Packers

NFC South: #2 Atlanta Falcons

NFC West: #1 San Francisco 49ers

Wildcards: #5 Seattle Seahawks, #6 Carolina Panthers

AFC:

AFC East: #1 New England Patriots

AFC North: #3 Cincinnati Bengals

AFC South: #4 Indianapolis Colts

AFC West: #2 Denver Broncos

Wildcards: #5 Baltimore Ravens, #6 Houston Texans

Playoff Bracket:

First Round:

#6 Carolina Panthers @ #3 Green Bay Packers (Panthers 31-28)

#5 Seattle Seahawks @ #4 New York Giants (Seahawks 21-14)

#6 Houston Texans @ #3 Cincinnati Bengals (Bengals 28-21)

#5 Baltimore Ravens @ #4 Indianapolis Colts (Ravens 24-21)

Second Round:

#6 Carolina Panthers @ #1 San Francisco 49ers (49ers 34-21)

#5 Seattle Seahawks @ #2 Atlanta Falcons (Atlanta 35-28)

#5 Baltimore Ravens @ #1 New England Patriots (Patriots 24-21)

#3 Cincinnati Bengals @ #2 Denver Broncos (Broncos 28-24)

Championship Games:

#2 Atlanta Falcons @ #1 San Francisco 49ers (49ers 34-31)

#2 Denver Broncos @ #1 New England Patriots (Patriots 41-38)

Super Bowl: New England Patriots vs San Francisco 49ers (49ers 28-21)

Super Bowl Champions: San Francisco 49ers

Most of my teams are the same teams that have made the playoffs the last few years with the Carolina Panthers sneaking in this year. This is the season Cam Newton finally takes charge and leads them to the playoffs — and maybe even a playoff win. I can’t wait to sit back and watch as it all unfolds, remote in hand, RedZone Channel at the ready.

What do you think about my predictions? Comment below.

The Tom Brady “window” for success continues in New England, amazingly. By Mongomez93 (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

It’s never too early for predictions, especially when it comes to the pre draft NFL. In the upcoming draft, each team will make selections to try and help their current rosters in order to make a run at that coveted Super Bowl ring. Although the rosters for the start of the season won’t be complete until much later in the year, it’s still fun to look at what each team has done up to this point and make predictions for what will happen. Here are my predictions for the upcoming NFL season, pre NFL draft:

AFC North:

1. Cincinnati Bengals: This is the team that I believe right now will win this division next season. They have gotten better in each of the last two seasons with stellar performances by their duo Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. Plus have one of the youngest and best defensives in the league. It will be difficult for the Bengals, as they have now made the playoffs in consecutive years so they won’t be underdogs anymore. With Pittsburgh and Baltimore on the decline, taking nothing away from the Ravens since they just won the Super Bowl, but I’d expect this division to be the Bengals to lose although it will be a dogfight throughout the year.
2. Baltimore Ravens: The defending Super Bowl champions lost a lot of experience and leadership with the departures of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Anquan Boldin but they added some talent back with the signing of Elvis Dumervil. I don’t think the Ravens will win the division but a wild card spot doesn’t seem too far-fetched.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: The one time dominant Steelers team of the last seven or so years isn’t the same team and like the Ravens it’s the age factor. The lose of Mike Wallace is a big factor since he was a huge part of their offense but I think the defense who was ranked near the top of the league will keep them in games. Ben Roethlisberger is still a two-time champion and he won’t go down without a fight. That being said, they can still contend for a wild card spot just like the Ravens.
4. Cleveland Browns: A good young team that needs to find a quarterback and an identity. The Browns showed some promise last season by fighting and playing hard in their games but like this league has proven time and time again, you can’t win without a good quarterback. It will be another long year for the Browns as they try and improve the team.

AFC East:

1. New England Patriots: What else can you say about this team? This division is easily theirs and barring a huge injury or anything unpredictable like that, it’s almost a lock. Tom Brady is Tom Brady and will have the Patriots back to the playoffs with another division title.
2. Miami Dolphins: The addition of Mike Wallace to the offense instantly makes them more of a force in the AFC especially since they lost Reggie Bush. They went 7-9 last season but I look for them to improve and make a run at the playoffs as a wild card type team. Tannehill has this team looking good and he can only improve.
3. Buffalo Bills: I am going to go out on a limb here and say that the Bills finish ahead of the Jets in the standings this year. The Bills went 6-10 and I believe just need a few pieces to actually become a contender. The addition of linebacker Manny Lawson should help out a poor line backing core and adding Kevin Kolb might just be what the doctor ordered for the Bills.
4. New York Jets: This will probably be Rex Ryan’s last season as the head coach of the Jets unlike a miraculous playoff run occurs which is unlikely. The Jets have talent, they really do, but for some reason they don’t know how to combine it and turn it into wins on Sundays.

AFC West:

1. Denver Broncos: With Peyton Manning running your team, it’s almost a guarantee that you will make the playoffs. They had one of the best offenses and defenses in football last year and I expect that to continue even with the departure of Elvis Dumervil. Until Manning retires, the AFC West is the Broncos to loose.
2. Kansas City Chiefs: I am taking a long shot here that I actually believe in but I say the Chiefs despite their horrid season last year, finish second in the AFC West. I really liked the signing of Andy Reid as the coach because I believe it will rejuvenate his career and give him motivation again. Also trading for Alex Smith was a major move as it gives them a leader that has playoff experience. They had six pro bowlers selected despite only winning two games, and they have the first pick in the upcoming draft so what’s not to like about the Chiefs? They won’t contend just quite yet but they won’t be at the bottom of the standings either.
3. San Diego Chargers: I am not quite sure what happened last year with Phillip Rivers but I don’t think it will happen again in 2013. With basically the same team and the addition of Danny Woodhead, I think it makes the Chargers the third best team in their division. It won’t be as miserable for Charger fans next year, but it won’t be as good as recent years suggested.
4. Oakland Raiders: With the trade of Carson Palmer and departure of Heyward-Bey, at least pre-draft; I believe that the Raiders will have the worst record in the NFL next season. The only reason they won four games last year was because Palmer, despite his struggles, can still throw the football and put up points. The defense wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t good either. I may be wrong but I think it’s going to be a tough season again for the Black and Silver faithful.

AFC South:

1. Indianapolis Colts: The Colts showed us last year that it is possible to have the worst record one year then completely turn it around the next and make the playoffs. Andrew Luck is a stud and I normally don’t say that about young quarterbacks. The 11-5 surprise team got even better by adding Darius Heyward-Bey from the Raiders and LaRon Landry from the Jets. Ina addition they signed veteran Matt Hasselbeck, which I think will play a crucial role in Luck’s development in the coming years. Look for the Colts to win the division for the first time in a long time without Peyton Manning leading the way.
2. Houston Texans: Many people will question my pick of the Colts over the Texans and I understand why but I have my reasons. Yes they signed Ed Reed to help boost the already stellar defense but the fact that they had the best record in the league at one point last year and then fell to not having a first round bye in the playoffs tells me something, they lack mental toughness. In football, like any sport, you need to have both physicality and mental toughness and that is something I don’t believe the Texans have. With that being said though, I still believe that they will compete but just not win the division again.
3. Tennessee Titans: At least the debate over which quarterback will start for the Titans is over, this is now Jake Locker’s team. The signings of Bernard Pollard and Shonn Greene will help this team but I don’t think it makes them a threat in the AFC. It will be at least a few more years until the Titans reach the playoffs again I believe.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Many would argue that Jacksonville was the worst team in the league, not Kansas City. There are so many holes on this team to fix and it will take awhile for all of them to be put together and make the Jags relevant again. Receiver Justin Blackmon is a nice building piece for them but they need more than him on offense. Jones-Drew is a nice running back but lets face it, he is very injury prone. The Jaguars will be back at the bottom of the lottery again come next April.

Division Winners:

AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals

AFC East: New England Patriots

AFC West: Denver Broncos

AFC South: Indianapolis Colts

Wild Card Teams: Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans (Notable other teams: Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins)

Playoff Bracket:

1. New England Patriots (12-4)
2. Denver Broncos (12-4)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (11-5)
4. Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
5. Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
6. Houston Texans (9-7)

6 Houston Texans @ 3 Cincinnati Bengals: (Bengals 31-24)

5 Baltimore Ravens @ 4 Indianapolis Colts: (Ravens 27-14)

5 Baltimore Ravens @ 1 New England Patriots: (Patriots 31-28)

3 Cincinnati Bengals @ 2 Denver Broncos: (Bengals 20-17)

AFC Championship Game:

3 Cincinnati Bengals @ 1 New England Patriots: (Patriots 38-31)

AFC Champions: New England Patriots

Paul Brown Stadium would be a great home for Manti Te’o next season. by Derek Jensen, via Wikimedia Commons

Over the last ten years, the Cincinnati Bengals have taken chances on players. Most of the “chances” they’ve taken have been due to questionable character of their draftees. Some examples are Adam “Pacman” Jones and offensive lineman Andre Smith.  For years the franchise was mocked as the “Bungles” instead of Bengals for all the arrests of players on their roster combined with their average-at-best play on the field. But recently the “Bungles” talk has calmed down and the franchise has matured. Former quarterback Carson Palmer helped the Bengals by leading them to the playoffs in 2009, but never made the “next step” into being true contenders. After making the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since the early 1980s, this team is poised to make that true next step toward contention. Despite early playoff exits, both coming against the Houston Texans, the Bengals future looks bright and they can make it even more exciting during the upcoming NFL draft.

The Bengals defense is one of the best and youngest defenses in the NFL and showed signs of what they are capable of last season ranking seventh in allowed passing yards and twelfth in allowed rushing yards. With weak pass coverage from linebackers, many tight ends torched the Bengals for big yards including Owen Daniels of the Texans in the postseason. The middle linebacker position is one place the team should target in the draft. As I said above, the Bengals have had a history on taking chances with players and I think they should look into taking a chance on former Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o. After a great season on the field, Te’o and the Fighting Irish were embarrassed on national TV during the BCS Championship Game by Alabama, where many people questioned Te’o’s true ability. Yet Te’o did finish with ten tackles and you can’t blame the loss on him entirely. The entire Notre Dame team didn’t show up plus they were playing Alabama, who has won three of the last four National Championships. I didn’t think Notre Dame deserved to be in the title game in the first place and they showed exactly why, and thankfully the NCAA has taken measures to start up a playoff system in 2014.

After a great statistical season and finishing second in the Heisman race, Te’o seemed to have high stock in the draft. But after a very strange scandal dealing with his fake girlfriend and him getting catfished, Te’o has seen his likeability and credibility drop. He went from being one of the most loved players in America to being one of the most hated in a matter of mere moments and I feel for the kid. I’m not going to say that I know what happened but I believe he was victim of a terrible prank that went terribly wrong. Being said, I don’t think that Te’o and his football career should take a hit just because he was a little too trusting and let his stupidity get in the way of his emotions. He still is a good football player and his off-the-field issue should be looked at as second rate to his actual skills. The Bengals drafted middle linebacker Rey Maualuga in 2009 out of USC in hopes of him being their linebacker for the future. Maualuga has been decent but decent isn’t enough for the Bengals this year. Both Te’o and Maualuga had similar college careers statistically with Te’o edging Maualuga by a slight margin. The Bengals like the type of player Maualuga is and Te’o is a very similar type player to him, only better. Te’o would not only bring his skills to the Bengals but also his leadership. You don’t lead a team to a National Championship Game without some leadership qualities. Here is a look at the final colligate statistics for both players:

Manti Te’o:

437 total tackles

34.0 tackles for loss

8.5 Sacks

7 Interceptions

Rey Maualuga:

273 total tackles

22.5 tackles for loss

9.0 Sacks

5 Interceptions

1 Interception returns for TD

The Bengals should take a risk and select Manti Te’o with their 21^st overall pick in the upcoming draft, assuming he is available then. He would be a great addition to an already-good defense and I believe he is worth the risk. In the case that he didn’t pan out as a player in the NFL then at least the Bengals took a risk and selected him. The alternative is not good for them. What would happen if they miss out on him and the championship game and the odd scandal were minor bumps in his career and he turns out to be a great player. It’s a higher reward than risk for the Bengals who are used to taking chances. It may not be the “sexy” pick at this time but I believe in a few years if the Bengals were to take him, they wouldn’t regret it. For now all we can do is wait and see if Manti gets his name called in the draft and hopefully for the Bengals sake, they do it before some other team does.

What do you think? Is Manti Te’o even a first rounder in your mind? Give us your thoughts below.

A.J. Green and the Bengals went out this weekend in the first round of the NFL Playoffs. By Navin75 (Flickr: WR AJ Green) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

This team has a solid core. Andy Dalton lead this year’s offense with 27 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and passed for 3,669 yards. Second year receiver and pro-bowler A.J. Green had 97 receptions for 1,350 yards and 11 touchdowns. Newly signed running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis led the running attack with 1,094 yards with six touchdowns. The under-rated defense set the sack record for the franchise and was led by Defensive Tackle and pro-bowler Geno Atkins (12.5 sacks).

The season started bleak for the Bengals, embarrassed by division rival Baltimore in the first game of the season on Monday Night Football. After week 9, the team sat at 3-5 with losses to the Browns and Dolphins and the prospects for even making the playoffs were not good.

Surprisingly the Bengals shocked the NFL and beat down the Giants, 31-13 in week 10. After the inspiring win over the Super Bowl champs, the Bengals went on to win six of their next seven games. They even beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh in the playoff-clincher. They were no longer the so-called “Bungles.”

The Bengals were locked into the sixth and final playoff seed in the AFC, despite tying the AFC North champion Ravens with a record of 10-6 and ended up playing the Texans in the first round. The Texans had been struggling and any team was better than the red-hot Broncos or the playoff proven Patriots. Despite the decent matchup, the Bengals lost again in the playoffs. They had a chance with a 3^rd and 11 possession with under three minutes to play but quarterback Andy Dalton over-threw receiver A.J. Green in the end zone, a play that would have given the Bengals a 20-19 lead.

While Cincinnati didn’t advance in the playoffs yet again, the season did show that as the combination of Dalton and Green grow, along with the strong young defense, the Bengals will be a force to reckon with in the future. The Bengals gained tremendous experience and poise by turning their season around when everyone thought they were done and finally beating the Steelers on the road. It would have been nice to cap off this season with a playoff win, but the Bengals should be happy with making the playoffs right now.

That being said, how much longer can that be the standard? Hopefully next season this young up-and-coming team will come back with a hunger for success and if they do, this team is built to win, I believe for a long time.