Let’s hope they do something to change the way they’ve consistently started seasons.

The Cincinnati Bengals have been atrocious to start the last few seasons, and it is often their doom later in the year.

The Bengals went 9-8 last season, finishing 3rd in the AFC North. They lost three straight to open the season and four of their first five, one of which was to the New England Patriots in their season- and home-opener. A late-season push got close but didn’t ultimately end in a playoff berth.

The year prior was much of the season as the Bengals lost three of their first four in 2023, one of which was a blowout road loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 4. Things must change if this team has a hope of getting back to the playoffs, and the Bengals’ leader, Zac Taylor, knows that.

Per ESPN’s Ben Baby, fans may see a different preseason approach, and the Bengals players may see more snaps in the preseason. It’ll be interesting as the Bengals have largely kept players out in preseason games to avoid injury, especially quarterback Joe Burrow, who has a history of season-ending injuries.

The Bengals must change something up because it is unacceptable to lose against one of the worst teams in the NFL to open your season.

Cincinnati’s AFC North will play the NFC North along with at least its three divisional opponents twice, so there is a good chance one of those seven teams is who the Bengals get to open the season.

With Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the roster along with Burrow, this team has the weapons to beat anyone, and let’s just hope this time around, they can hit their start to the season, not when it is too late.

One step forward, two steps back.

The Cincinnati Bengals like to do things their way. If you’re a fan, and you’ve been a fan for any length of time, you know this. They don’t operate the same way some other teams do. They don’t like giving out a ton of guaranteed money (though they did with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to keep them both in Cincinnati). They don’t have a large scouting department. They don’t like to trade their own players, even if they know they’ll lose said player in free agency and get nothing in return.

They have the best weapons money could literally buy surrounding their quarterback. They have two solid offensive tackles and a reliable yet aging center. They will hopefully extend Hendrickson, which gives them one A+ edge rusher. They have Logan Wilson, a solid linebacker, and they have a handful of young and talented but untested cornerbacks next to Cam Taylor-Britt, who took a step back in 2024.

And they have the quarterback. That’s the biggest part of the puzzle. But if there’s something the team should have learned from last year’s disaster, it’s the quarterback can’t do it alone.

Duke Tobin said he doesn’t want to pay more for the same team. Well, right now, he’s paying more for a worse team (Hendrickson not extended, Germaine Pratt wants a trade). He also has the same starting left guard who struggled in 2024 in Cordell Volson, and they have Cody Ford/Lucas Patrick/Jaxson Kirkland to play right guard. Are any of those guys an upgrade over Alex Cappa, who also struggled and was released?