Going into last season, the Bengals were one of the front-runners to make the Super Bowl in the AFC. Even though they fell short, the Bengals are poised to make a deep playoff run this year. But why do the Bengals have a real shot of making a Super Bowl appearance?
For one, the Bengals defense is one of the best in the league. Leon Hall is coming into Training Camp healthy and in shape. The defensive line is as good as ever, even after losing Michael Johnson to the Buccaneers. And first round pick Darqueze Dennard is already turning heads at training camp. The Bengals defense has been in the top five in all major categories in the league for the past few seasons, and there's no reason to think it wont happen again this season.
The offensive side of the ball has been very good the past few years, and only seems to be getting better. Even though Andy Dalton has been inconsistent in regular season games, one thing hasn't been, and that's the fact that he throws a lot of touchdowns. Last year he threw 33 touchdowns, which shows his improvement since joining the league in 2011, when he threw 20 touchdowns.
The Bengals also have a very solid group of Wide Receivers. With Pro-Bowler A.J Green as the No. 1 wide out, and with guys like Marvin Jones, Mohamed Sanu, and up-and-comers Dane Sanzenbacher and Cobi Hamilton, this could be a great year. Then, add Giovani Bernard running the ball, and Tyler Eifert and Jermaine Gresham at Tight Ends, and the Bengals have quietly made a great group of offensive guys.
Also, if Brandon Tate, Adam Jones or even Gio start getting return points on special teams, it could be a monster year all around. Gio has gotten some looks at punt returner during camp.