Like many NFL teams right now, the Cincinnati Bengals are beginning offseason workouts with the understanding they didn’t have last season. Last season, around this time many had this team barely if at all making the playoffs and being bounced within the first two rounds. Nobody had the Bengals going to the Super Bowl last year. In fact, they were a possession away nearly from winning the Super Bowl.
During the Super Bowl media day, Bengals star QB Joe Burrow emphasized this historic run will only instill their confidence going forward.
“Going into last year, we knew we were good, but I think going into the playoffs, we knew we could win but we weren’t really sure what it took,” Burrow said Tuesday. “We went out there, played hard as a team, and it worked out.”
“Now, we understand what it takes, and we carry that experience with us as we move forward.”
The Cincinnati Bengals Mindset Going Forward
The last time the Bengals reached the playoffs was in 2015, however, the last playoff game they won prior to this past season was 1991. Burrow admits to rewatching the Super Bowl loss and telling himself this is the worst loss he’s suffered ever. On the other hand, Bengals star WR Ja’Marr Chase and Rookie of the Year hasn’t revisited the event, reported Ben Baby for ESPN.
“Now we just gotta have the expectation that we’re one of the best in the league,” Chase said Tuesday. “We gotta keep that expectation and roll with it.”
In 2021, they made their third conference championship appearance in franchise history. They’ve been rebuilding for years and are ready to capitalize on the mistakes and mishaps they made last season. The Bengals feel they can make another run, while many believe it was a “fluke” They’re simply attempting to show they are contenders and are the real deal going forward.
“We’ve seen it, we’ve done it,” Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins said. “And we know what it takes to get back to that point. That’s our standard now. That’s our standard for this team. Ain’t no looking back.”
