The Cincinnati Bengals don’t have much of a choice but to operate from the underdog role in 2019.
That doesn’t mean some outsiders don’t love the idea.
Kyle Brandt at GMFB, for example, cites the big changes in Cincinnati as a reason the Bengals have flown under the radar this offseason.
“…we finally have a new coach and a new lease on life for that man [Andy Dalton] and the whole team is going to feel different.”
So goes the thinking inside the Bengals too, where the hope is a rebuilt coaching staff can put a new set of eyes on a seemingly talented roster and get the team back to competing for the playoffs.
A lot has to go right for the Bengals to make everyone look back in hindsight and admit they undervalued them, though. First and foremost, the injury bug has to stay away — Jonah Williams and Clint Boling are already gone.
From there, a green coaching staff has to creatively leave its own mark in a tough AFC North. Easier said than done.
But overall? The sheer change in tone from the Bengals this offseason has been a welcome sight for fans. And the players have never minded the underdog role, so it’s business as usual in that regard.
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