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Over/Under for wins in 2013: Cincinnati Bengals

Determining the right middle ground for potential win totals for a team is an exacting, arduous process, so we’re going to set a number and see what sticks.

By Neal Coolong
Matthew Stockman

Getting past advanced metrics, play evaluation and other methods of determining an opinion, I just keep it simple with Cincinnati.

They’re a well-coached team (particularly on the defensive side of the ball) with a freakishly talented receiver on offense. Then I think of their quarterback.

Watching Andy Dalton, sometimes he appears to have the decision-making skills of a drunken Brett Favre. That makes him almost like his own team on the field; there’s the Bengals, their opponents, and Dalton, who plays some kind of heel and face role at once, deciding at some point which team he’ll favor.

One thing Dalton knows as well as any quarterback in the league is who his money maker is. He has little to no fear chucking the ball as high as he can, and letting A.J. Green go get it. Because A.J. Green has the springs of a freed gazelle but with more speed, he can make those plays.

How reliable is that kind of an offense, though?

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis clearly wants to add the running dimension to his Dalton-led offense, so he spent second-round pick on Giovanni Bernard – a multi-tool back who appears to be a good fit for, surprise surprise, the Bengals passing game. Just like Tyler Eifert, their first round pick.

Maybe Lewis doesn’t want to run the ball as much as analysts want to believe he does. Maybe he really will continue keeping up with the rest of the league and throw 35-plus times a game. Maybe that puts the Bengals over/under of wins at nine.

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