Cincinnati Bengals Await Stacked 2010 Schedule

One of the keys to the success of the Cincinnati Bengals last season was their ability to fly under the radar. The team started the season 7-2 and essentially had the AFC North wrapped up by mid-November.

That won’t be the case this season. The Bengals’ secret is out, which means coach Marvin Lewis will have to find new ways to motivate his team. And coupled with a brutal schedule that includes five preseason games, Bengals.com editor Geoff Hobson predicts Lewis may also have to monitor his players’ snaps.

“[Coach Lewis] is looking at five preseason games, so I think he’s is going to taper them,” Hobson said. “They were a little worn out at the end of last season [due to injuries] and weren’t in top form. He knows the season is a long haul, so he’ll keep the guys fresh for the stretch run and I think emphasize winning a playoff game.”

When it comes time for training camp, Cincinnati Enquirer Bengals beat writer Joe Reedy foresees intense competition, but thinks Lewis may alleviate the practice load a bit.

“Camp may be a little lighter than usual, but it will still be a competitive training camp.” Reedy said. “Right now there are two punters, two kickers, and even two long snappers. There’s competition at literally every spot. Most of the starters are safe, but the last 10 to 15 spots are going to be interesting.”

Given the team’s recent run of defensive injuries, Reedy thinks the improved depth of defensive coordinator’s Mike Zimmer’s squad will be essential to maintaining the success of the NFL’s fourth-ranked unit.

“They had depth last year, they could go 18, 19 deep, but now you look at the roster and they’re 21, 22 deep.” Reedy said. “You hope you don’t have the run of injuries on defense again, but it has happened the last few years.”

Competition is just what the Bengals may need to avoid complacency. The Browns are on the upswing and the Ravens significantly improved in the offseason. And despite the fact that the Steelers, Cincinnati’s chief division rival, has been embroiled in player controversy much of the past few months, they still are a threat to win the division.

Hobson sees the AFC North being just as tough as ever, especially considering the Bengals defense will have six games against quarterbacks that passed for over 4,000 yards last season.

“Cleveland is coming fast and I think Baltimore may have even gone ahead of [the Bengals]. The Ravens did sort of the same things in the offseason the Bengals did,” Hobson said. “You look at the schedule and you see the elite quarterbacks. [The Bengals] could be better and maybe go 8-8, 9-7. They can’t fall behind early. As long as they hang in the division they can be okay.”

Although he forecasts Baltimore as the team to beat in the AFC North, Reedy believes this Bengals team is better than the 2006 squad, which faltered to 8-8 after winning the division with an 11-5 record in 2005.

“I still make Baltimore the slight favorite, they had a slightly better offseason. Drafting Sergio Kindle, Terrence Cody and a few tight ends was great for them. However, they’ve got some of the same questions as the Bengals.” Reedy said. “I think this [Bengals] team is built better than in 2006, after the last division title. [The AFC North] is probably going to come down to the two games against the Ravens, Week Two and Week 17.”

Favorites or not, the Bengals have caught a glimpse of the VIP room of the NFL. If they want to join the likes of the NFL’s high-rollers, they’ve got to prove to themselves and the rest of the league that they can deliver another successful season. Cincinnati has the talent, the depth, and the coaching.

It’s time for the Bengals to take the next step.