Cincinnati Bengals: Andy Dalton and A.J. Green Can Lead Bengals into Playoffs

At the halfway point of the NFL season the Cincinnati Bengals are a surprising 5-2.

Despite having to depend on a rookie quarterback, a young group of playmakers and a patch-worked defense, Cincy is still very much in the hunt for the AFC North title and a spot in the 2011-12 playoffs.

It won't be easy, but Andy Dalton, A.J. Green and the rest of the Cincinnati Bengals have what it takes to earn a postseason berth.

Here's the lowdown:

Young Defense Is Still One of the League's Best

When Cincinnati's young defense was ranked No. 1 early in the season it seemed as though football fans everywhere were just waiting for them to have an epic collapse.

They're still waiting.

The Bengals defense is allowing just 297.4 yards per game this season and they're No. 2 in the league against the run, giving up just 85.4 rushing yards per contest.

Cincinnati is also beginning to create more and more turnovers. In just eight games the Bengals have already forced 10 fumbles, recovering eight of them.

This is one of the fastest and most talented defensive units that the Bengals have had in a long while, and they'll play a big part in determining how successful Cincinnati will be for the remainder of the season.

Bengal Offense Is Alive and Well

While the Cincinnati defense has earned the majority of the praise this season, Cincy's young offense has developed into a dynamic unit as well.

The Bengals are only ranked 22nd overall in terms of total yardage per game, but they are averaging over 24 points per contest and seem to be improving week after week.

Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, Jermaine Gresham, and the rest of Cincinnati's young playmakers are becoming more and more adjusted to the speed of the NFL, and they have been able to do some awfully exciting things.

Remaining Schedule Is Very Winnable

The Bengals have already racked up four consecutive victories and their upcoming schedule looks manageable to say the least.

While they still have to face both Baltimore and Pittsburgh twice, Cincinnati also has some very winnable games against Tennessee, Cleveland, St. Louis and Arizona left to play.

Should the Bengals win at least three more games this season they'll have a legitimate shot at earning a playoff berth, something no one thought possible at the season's start.

Divisional Opponents Are Streaky

Every year the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers present Cincinnati with a major challenge. Competing in the NFL is no easy task, and it doesn't help when you share a division with two of the league's most dominant franchises. 

Still, despite their impressive records, both Baltimore and Pittsburgh have looked awfully beatable this season. The Ravens lost in ugly fashion to the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars two weeks ago, and then followed that up with a less-than-impressive comeback victory over Arizona.

Despite their 6-2 record, the Steelers have had their share of struggles this season as well.

The AFC North is wide open and Cincinnati is still very much in the thick of things.