![\"Syndication:](\"https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/qebAyzRcIwJHDZyhxoNWM8_9ujk=\/0x0:3899x2599\/1200x800\/filters:focal(1639x989:2261x1611)\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_image\/image\/73807465\/usa_today_25047547.0.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Cincinnati Bengals aren\u2019t a bad team. Bad teams lose to good teams and other bad teams. The Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, and Dallas Cowboys are bad teams.<\/p>\n
Heading into this stretch of the season, I would not have said the Bengals are a good team, either. Good teams beat bad teams, which the Bengals do, but they find ways to beat other good teams. The Bengals, when playing against good teams this season, have only found ways to beat themselves.<\/p>\n
Are they a good team now?<\/p>\n
They have to be.<\/p>\n
In the next two weeks, the Bengals have to beat two teams with winning records: the Denver Broncos and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even if they win out, there\u2019s no guarantee they play football beyond Week 18. They have to rely on the Colts and Dolphins to lose at least one more, and they need the Chiefs to beat the Broncos in Week 18. For the Chiefs to beat the Broncos in Week 18, the Bengals need to rely on the Steelers to beat the Chiefs in Week 17, forcing Patrick Mahomes and company into playing to win the top seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.<\/p>\n
The Bengals can only do what they can do, and if they do take care of business and the rest of the league doesn\u2019t hop on board and they get shut out, that will be their punishment for not building a defense that could compete earlier in the season.<\/p>\n
So, did the Bengals do enough against three bad teams to make you think they can pull off their part of this miracle ending?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s why I say Yea:<\/strong><\/p>\n Here\u2019s why I say Nay:<\/strong><\/p>\n As you can see<\/strong>, the Yae\u2019s have it.<\/p>\n I do believe in this team, mainly because I believe in Joe Burrow and Ja\u2019Marr Chase and the offense\u2019s ability to stay in any game regardless of how many points the opposing team has scored. I also, believe it or not, believe in Lou Anarumo. He\u2019s helped the Bengals far more than he\u2019s hurt him in his tenure as the team\u2019s defensive coordinator. I do recognize that he will likely have to fall on the sword if things don\u2019t go well over the next couple of weeks, but I do believe he can create a scheme to get the most out of who he has on the field.<\/p>\n Whether or not they get the help required is a whole different story. Can the Steelers beat the Chiefs at home this weekend? If not, what reason do the Chiefs have to play their starters in Week 18? Can the Colts shoot themselves in the foot against the Giants or Jaguars? Can the Dolphins do the same against the Browns or the Jets?<\/p>\n If not, the Bengals could finish with a 9-8 record and have nothing to show for the way they had to grow in the second half of the season. If that\u2019s the case, they will have to take a long look in the mirror and decide if changes need to be made heading into the offseason.<\/p>\n Some thoughts on the game:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n I am very fortunate and privileged to be able to celebrate the holidays with the people I love the most, and I know many cannot. Remember what\u2019s important, be kind, be present, and spread love where you can.<\/p>\n I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season filled with joy, warmth and maybe\u2014just maybe\u2014a little Bengals magic will be under the tree.<\/p>\n Relative Song Lyrics:<\/p>\n So won\u2019t you tell me you\u2019ll never more roam? The Bengals have done what was required of them against bad teams for three weeks. Now, the real test comes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cincinnati-bengals"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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\nChristmas and New Year\u2019s will find you home
\nThere\u2019ll be no more sorrow, no grief and pain
\nAnd I\u2019ll be happy, happy once again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"