Roundtable: Can this Bengals team finally win a playoff game?

The Bengals haven't won a playoff game since the 1990 season. That includes an 0-6 mark under head Marvin Lewis, but this just may be his best Bengals team yet, so we asked the question that's on everyone's mind in the Queen City:

Is this the Bengals team that finally ends the NFL's longest playoff win drought?

Alex Healey
Absolutely yes. There's only one team in the AFC that is playing better, and that is the Patriots. I am absolutely not scared of the Broncos at all, and I think we will see Peyton Manning wear down as the season progresses again. Unless something catastrophic happens, this team is winning a playoff game this year. Take that to the bank.

Anthony Cosenza
One always has to be cautiously optimistic of the Bengals. I'm reluctant to say yes because of their past primetime/playoff woes and they're not playing of any yet this year, but this looks most like the team that could do it. I think it will depend on their draw, where a playoff game is played and their health at the time. I'll very reluctantly say yes, but we've been burned too many times before.

Dadio McDuck
Assuming no significant injuries to key players, yes, the Bengals will win at least one playoff game. With the way they're playing, they should secure at least one home game. And the only teams right now in the AFC that look like they'd be able to win in Cincinnati in the postseason are the Patriots, arguably the Broncos and perhaps the Bills.

Mickey Mentzer
Tough question at this point of the season as I think the health of the players will factor into this. That being said, the Bengals look to be the division winners and as such will host a playoff game. If the majority of this team is healthy, I would purchase tickets to the next round and AFC Championship.

Mike Townsend
There’s no reason they shouldn’t win a playoff game or even more. There’s too many games between now and the playoffs to predict what the team looks like by then, but I like the chances of the Bengals winning the AFCN crown and playing a low seed wildcard team.  I’ll say yes because the magic 8 ball says "You may rely on it."

Scott Bantel
Yes*. The asterisk is important here because I am assuming health, something that is difficult to do when January is so far away. But, if the Bengals can stay healthy - or at least relatively healthy – then I think this team can not only win a playoff game but compete for a Super Bowl title. However, if they go limping into the playoffs with injuries to key contributors like they did last year and run out a lineup of "who’s who," then no.

Alberto Luque
Let me see them first on national TV.

Cody Tewmey
No way I'm stepping in that trap for a playoff win. All I will say is, if this team stays healthy they had better make a deep run. The team is too talented not to.

Kyle Phelps
The running game is key here. If the Bengals can get Jeremy Hill out of his funk, or Giovani Bernard can kick it into the next gear to play every down and get into the end zone, the Bengals will be a very tough team to beat. However, even if they can't do that, I think that they can win a playoff game if they can buckle down in the regular season and win the division to be assured at least one home game. They'll need the running game to improve if they want a real shot at the Super Bowl, but I could see one playoff win the way Dalton and the defensive line are playing.

Scott Schultze
Yes. They've lost  six straight playoff games. The law of averages is screaming for them to finally win one. The real key will be how well they are playing at the end of the season.