The Cincinnati Bengals are 0-2 for the third consecutive season, suffering both a backbreaking home upset and a last-second loss in a tight matchup to start the 2024 campaign. Since the NFL's playoff expansion in 2020, only two 0-2 squads have made the cut.

One of those teams, though, was the 2022 Bengals. After losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys to start that year, head coach Zac Taylor's squad righted the ship and returned to the AFC Championship, falling 23-20 in a nail-biting rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Last season was essentially null and void after franchise quarterback Joe Burrow went down with a wrist injury in November. However, the LSU alum had Cincinnati at 5-5 at that point, still in the thick of the AFC race. Backup signal-caller Jake Browning performed admirably in his stead, getting the team to 9-8 and finishing just one game behind the Steelers for the last playoff seed.

The theme of both of these campaigns is resiliency. Now, the Bengals need to display that resiliency for the third time in a row.

The Bengals have been here before

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks behind the line between plays in the second quarter of the NFL Week 2 game between the Kansas City Chiefs.
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While Cincinnati lost Joe Mixon and Tyler Boyd from the skill-position stable, Burrow is more than capable of leading the team out of the storm. The 27-year-old opened up about the team's early struggles, via WCPO's Caleb Noe.

“I wouldn't say I'm frustrated right now. I was frustrated on Sunday, that was a tough loss, but we've just got to go out and get a win,” Burrow admitted. “We've got to focus on getting better every day throughout practice and go out and execute when we have to execute on Monday. The rest will take care of itself, so we're in a fine spot. We've been here before, we're not panicking. So, we're focused on getting a win and getting better everyday.”

While losing 16-10 to the New England Patriots at home was inexcusable, the 26-25 loss to the Chiefs on the road was anything but. Burrow tossed 258 yards with two touchdowns on 7.2 yards-per-attempt, and the Bengals easily could have beaten the two-time defending champions had a few more calls gone their way.

Week 1 was worrisome, but Week 2 showed that Burrow is fully healed, and has a rapport with tight end Mike Gesicki, who had seven catches for 91 yards. Burrow and Taylor still have it.

The Bengals have an easy upcoming schedule

Cincinnati's next four opponents are the Washington Commanders at home, the Carolina Panthers on the road, the Baltimore Ravens at home, and the New York Giants on the road. With the exception of the Ravens, all of those teams should be in contention for high draft picks in 2025.

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The Commanders game on Monday night is a perfect chance perform convincingly in front of the nation against a weak secondary and rookie quarterback, while the Panthers are a train wreck. Baltimore will be a tough assignment, but it's hardly invincible as a fellow 0-2 squad. Lastly, the Giants are a slightly less violent train wreck than Carolina.

If the Bengals don't at least go 3-1 in this stretch, they might as well call off the season.

Tee Higgins is back

Not only did Boyd leave in free agency, but Higgins was out with a hamstring injury the last two weeks. This left disgruntled superstar Ja'Marr Chase and unproven players like Andrei Iosivas in the wide receiver room, limiting Cincinnati's options in the passing attack.

Higgins will play against Washington, though, via The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr.

“Tee Higgins leaving little doubt he will return to the high level he was playing in camp when he makes his expected season debut on MNF: ‘I’m back. I’m 100 percent,'” Dehner reported.

Higgins may be the best No. 2 wideout in football, totaling 3,684 yards on 257 catches with 24 touchdowns since coming out of Clemson in 2020. The 25-year-old's presence on the field puts more stress on opposing defenses, thus making life easier on Burrow and company.

If Burrow, Higgins, and Chase all stay healthy, the Bengals will be major players in the AFC North once again. While the Steelers have an elite defense, their paltry passing attack without the injured Russell Wilson will hamstring them against good teams. Ditto for the Cleveland Browns, who are still rolling with the mediocre Deshaun Watson under center. Meanwhile, the Ravens just lost to the Las Vegas Raiders and have difficult dates with the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills coming up.

At some point, Cincinnati must stop losing the first two games of the season if it wants to be perennial championship contenders. At least it knows how to dig out of a hole, though.