The Cincinnati Bengals have finished with sub-.500 records and missed the playoffs the past three seasons, but A.J. Green thinks that trend is about to change.
Speaking with Geoff Hobson of the team’s official website, Green agreed with Joe Mixon’s declaration that the Bengals will be in the playoffs this coming season.
“I think so. We are. If everyone stays healthy, the sky’s the limit for this offense,” Green said after practice. “Last year, we were averaging (28) points a game … We have talent. We have a great back. We have great receivers. We have a great line. We’ve got a great defense. We just have to put everything together and everybody stays healthy.”
Rookie head coach Zac Taylor isn’t as quick to make any declarations about the team’s 2019 season, stating he’d rather take a humble approach. However, he did say he appreciated his players’ confidence.
“We want our guys to focus on us, but we certainly love the confidence that Joe has,” Taylor said. “Guys that know what they’re doing and we expect a lot of them on the field and it’s good to have that confidence.”
Cincinnati certainly has talent on both sides of the ball. Health is a key to finding success.
Speaking of health, Green himself is still recovering from the season-ending injury that cost him much of the 2018 campaign. He is expected to be a full go for training camp.
It’s worth pointing out that the AFC North is brutally competitive this season, and that the Bengals are looking like the fourth-best team on paper. Surprise outcomes are a hallmark of the NFL on an annual basis, though. It will be fascinating to see how the coming season unfolds.