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The Cincinnati Bengals have had a dreadful start to the 2024 season. Cincinnati is 0-3 and facing a monumental uphill climb if they want to rescue their season. Only four teams that started 0-3 since 1990 have made the postseason, which gives the Bengals roughly a 2.5% chance. Those are slim odds, and it could realistically be more difficult in a crowded AFC conference.
However, there are reasons to hope. The AFC North is still completely up in the air, as Baltimore and Cleveland have each only won one game so far this season. Pittsburgh is a perfect 3-0, but it is fair to question how long they can maintain this streak with Justin Fields under center. This doesn't mean that Cincinnati's path back to relevance is easy, but it is absolutely possible.
It could all start with a must-win game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4.
The Bengals need to get a win in the worst way possible. They are going up against a depleted Panthers squad that, prior to Week 3, looked completely powerless on both sides of the ball. This is shaping up to be a game that Cincinnati is expected to dominate from wire to wire. Not only because they're desperate to win, but because they seem to outmatch their opponent up and down the depth chart.
Can Cincinnati make it happen?
Below we will discuss three bold Bengals predictions head of Week 4's hugely important game against the Panthers.
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Bengals QB Joe Burrow shreds a bad Panthers defense for a monster game
The Bengals finally looked like their vintage selves on offense in Week 3. That should carry over into Week 4, despite the short week.
The Panthers have one of the worst defenses in the NFL right now. They are bereft of talent on defense, and it does not help that Derrick Brown is on injured reserve.
Carolina is averaging over 350 yards allowed per game so far this season. You can almost guarantee that an opponent will stay in rhythm on offense when facing the Panthers. That is exactly what I am expecting to happen on Sunday.
My prediction: the Bengals, led by QB Joe Burrow, will devastate the Panthers on defense. Burrow will throw for over 300 yards and at least three passing touchdowns. Expect the Bengals to put together a gameplan that is designed to get ahead of the Panthers early and continue to punish them throughout the afternoon. Cincinnati will throw the proverbial kitchen sink at Carolina, and they are not a good enough defense to withstand it.
Panthers QB Andy Dalton puts up an average performance, failing to replicate his Week 3 success
Andy Dalton played the hero for the Panthers in Week 3. Dalton immediately turned around Carolina's season with a 36-22 victory against the Raiders.
Dalton passed for 319 yards and three touchdowns, marching the Panthers down the field on drive after drive. If we learned anything from Week 3, it is that Bryce Young was probably holding the Panthers back. It's more of a TBD on Dalton until we see more.
To be clear, this was an impressive performance by Dalton. However, I do not see him being able to repeat it against the Cincinnati Bengals.
My prediction: Dalton's production returns to Earth. He does not throw for more than 300 passing yards and has at least one turnover against Cincinnati's defense.
Bengals get their first win of the season, thrashing the Panthers by two touchdowns
This prediction does not feel as bold as I normally like to do. However, it is hard to choose the game going in any other direction.
The Bengals need this win much more than the Panthers need it. This would look like a wild statement to anyone reading it just one week ago, but it is true.
To get a little superstitious, in my experience teams tend to have “let down” games after huge emotional victories, especially in the NFL. I am predicting that this phenomenon works directly against the Panthers, who rescued their season in Week 3 with a heroic effort from QB Andy Dalton. They will not get so lucky two weeks in a row.
My prediction: the Bengals log their first win of the season, ousting the Panthers by at least two touchdowns in a lopsided affair. This may end of being one of those games that is decided by the second or third quarter, but ends up looking close on the box score because of garbage time points.
