NFL Cincinnati Bengals: 5 Reasons They Will Make the Playoffs This Season

Coming into 2011, had you asked me if the Bengals would compete for a playoff spot, I probably wouldn't have answered—I would have keeled over from laughing so hard.

Here we are six weeks into the season, and the Bengals enter the bye week 4-2 and well within the playoff hunt. Yes, it's still early and a lot can change, but there's plenty to be optimistic about in the Queen City.

The team has basically brought a new identity upon themselves, with personnel changes on the coaching staff as well as on the field. The trouble that has left the team has only strengthened them, rather than tear them down as so many experts believed.

The 2011 Bengals are for real and will be in the hunt all season long.

Carson Palmer Has Finally Left Town

Rejoice! Carson Palmer has left Cincinnati!

The drama involving Palmer and Bengals owner Mike Brown has engulfed this team and cast a shadow over them for months now. People thought they were a laughing stock already, and Palmer's constant circus act and crying made it worse.

 Brown didn't help matters by keeping him around; but now Brown looks like a genius. The Bengals received a first-round pick and another conditional pick from the Raiders in exchange for a player who was of no value for Cincinnati. In short, the Bengals got a lot for free.

Andy Dalton and the offense can breathe easy at last. The last of the circus has finally hit the trail (the other players in the Bengals' circus include Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens). The drama is over, and there's finally closure.

The Andy Dalton-A.J. Green Combination

I would like to thank Featured Columnist Nick Signorelli for this comment a few months ago about Andy Dalton:

"How about this. 5 ways for Andy Dalton to be successful.
1. Go play in the UFL or CFL.
2. Get traded to a team with talent.
3. BEG Carson Palmer to return.
4. Spend your signing bonus on lotto tickets, and hope you hit.
5. Retire...NOW."

Uh huh, and six games in, Dalton has been just as successful as Signorelli's 4-2 Steelers. In fact, Dalton has thrown less interceptions than Ben Roethlisberger.

More to the point, Dalton hasn't been great, but he's been effective, especially with his fellow rookie, A.J. Green. 

Green has caught four of Dalton's seven touchdowns and is well on his way to amassing over 1,000 yards receiving. These two have a great chemistry on the field and it has been effective in most of the games this season.

These two together could become the next Peyton Manning-Marvin Harrison.

Bold? You bet.

Jay Gruden's New Offense

To say that the Bengals' offense is "top notch" would be taking it way too far. They're 22nd overall.

Still, you can't argue the fact that they've been effective, knocking off the Bills' momentum and putting up 57 points over the last two weeks. 

Jay Gruden was brought in this season to be the new offensive coordinator in Cincinnati and, boy, has he improved the team. Under Bob Bratkowski's offense, the Bengals were so doggone predictable. Every series was a run-run-pass scheme, which inevitably led to a punt.

At this point, the Bengals' offense is anything but predictable. Gruden is letting Andy Dalton throw quite often, which is making this team look so good at times.

What he needs to focus on now is why Cedric Benson is not producing. It may be time to call in some reinforcement, because the power appears to be leaving his legs week by week.

Still, Gruden has begun to improve the offense in his first season, and I expect it to only get better.

Soft Schedule

I suppose a "soft schedule" is only viewed in the eyes of the beholder. From my standpoint, the Bengals have a relatively soft schedule.

Cleveland has not come out of the gate as a playoff-caliber team, which a lot of people thought they would be. The Bengals have beaten them once, and still have a home game with them.

Then comes the NFC West. The Bengals have the Seahawks in Week 8 and will eventually play Arizona and St. Louis.

They've already played Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Denver, which was an unfortunate loss. If you ask me, the game in Cincinnati against Houston isn't exactly difficult. I know the Texans are good, but they've got some really bad consistency issues, and the Bengals' defense can expose that.

With all of these games on the schedule, how can they not win enough games to be playoff worthy?

League's Top Defense

I said at the beginning of the season that the Bengals' defense is something that will shine for the team this season. I never expected it to be the best in the league. 

There's no man in particular that has stepped up to be the top defensive player on the team. While this may sound like an issue, that just tells me that the entire defense is just that good.  They spread the wealth, if you will.

The secondary is absolutely solid, allowing under 200 yards of passing per game. Leon Hall is quietly one of the league's best corner backs, and adding Nate Clements certainly helped the cause. Throw safeties Gibril Wilson, Chris Crocker and Reggie Nelson into the mix, and they've got receivers on lockdown.

The core of the Cincinnati defense has suffered a loss, as linebacker Rey Maualuga has been injured and it's unclear how long he'll be out. He's been a key component up the middle.

Domata Peko and company on the defensive line have been able to keep runners under 100 yards per game. If Cincinnati can keep the defense at this level, not many teams are going to be successful against them.