One game stands between the Cincinnati Bengals and the 2020 NFL draft’s top pick.
They have to lose the game so they can win long-term, right?
This weekend’s game comes against a Miami Dolphins team with three wins to its name that also isn’t a stranger to fans showing up in the stands with brown paper bags over their heads.
Bengals players and coaches want to win, of course. But fans might be split on the idea — and fans aren’t unfamiliar with the seemingly classic Bengals move to win games when it doesn’t matter, dramatically altering the future. Remember winning a few meaningless games down the stretch for Marvin Lewis convinced ownership another season of Marvin Lewis was wise?
This time it’s more important — Joe Burrow is at stake. One of the best quarterback prospects to enter the NFL in quite some time is the prize if the Bengals lose and secure the first pick.
That’s worth losing over in the short term. A win against the Dolphins doesn’t alter much besides avoiding the embarrassment of a one-win season. But some would argue lose to secure the pick, then beat the Browns to close the season.
And why not? As plenty have pointed out when discussing the topic, teams throw games at the end of the season all the time. Playoff-bound teams sit starters and aren’t intent on winning meaningless games. Bad teams shift players to injured reserve so they can make waiver claims and build for the future. Maybe these teams are still “trying” to win these games but knowingly aren’t putting full force into the “trying” part of it.
Would it be fun to see the Bengals pick up another win this year during the holidays? Of course. But draft implications paired with shads of negative deja vu would likely dash the moment as it is.
The Bengals have come this far in the not-tank. Why spoil it now with No. 1 on the line?
