3 Bold Predictions Around the AFC North on the Browns Week 5 Bye
By Tyler Maher
2. Cincinnati Can't Buy a Win
The Bengals have been an absolute trainwreck this year, starting the season 1-3 and looking nothing like the team that made it to the AFC Championship Game last year.
Even so, Joe Burrow and co. are expected to win this week against the hapless 1-3 Cardinals. This is supposed to be a "get right" game for them where they finally figure things out and get back on track.
I'm not buying it. Arizona has been surprisingly frisky this year and won't just roll over at home. The Cardinals shocked the Cowboys there in Week 3 with a 28-16 victory, and Dallas has been playing much better football than Cincinnati.
Arizona narrowly lost to the Commanders in Week 1 and somehow blew a 20-0 halftime lead against the Giants in Week 2, so the Cards could easily be 3-1 right now if a couple of plays had gone differently. Joshua Dobbs is playing the best football of his career with a 70.7% completion rate and a 4:0 TD/INT ratio, which is a heck of a lot better than Burrow's been playing.
Burrow has basically been playing on one leg with his calf injury and clearly isn't right. The Bengals will likely be without No. 2 receiver Tee Higgins (fractured rib) as well, leaving the offense even more shorthanded.
This feels like a trap game for Cincy on the road against an opponent that shouldn't be underestimated. Don't be shocked if the Bengals lose again and fall to 1-4.