2009 NFL Picks Cincinnati Bengals AFC North Betting Odds: The good news for the Cincinnati Bengals is that it’s hard to imagine any situation where the team performs worse in 2009 than it did in 2008. After putting together a season that saw just as much off-the-field drama as it did on-field success, the Orange and Black would be hard pressed to construct a more embarrassing campaign than the one that was just completed. Despite a horde of offensive weapons and staggering athletic talents, the Bengals managed to finish the 2008 season ranked dead last in total yards (245.4 yards per game) and points (12.8 per games), and if Head Coach Marvin Lewis wants to turn things around, he must first figure out a way to find the high-octane offense his team once boasted. The 2009 NFL Picks experts at online sportsbook SBG Global have the Cincinnati Bengals +8500 odds to win the 2010 Super Bowl.
CINCINNATI BENGALS – AFC NORTH
2008 Season Record: 11-4-1, third in AFC North
Defense: 6
Offense: 7
Special Teams: 6
Coaching: 7
2009 NFL Picks: 7-9
OVER 6½ WINS: -120 odds
UNDER 6½ WINS: -100 odds
Pros: The return of Carson Palmer at quarterback is a source of major jubilation for the Bengals. Without Palmer taking the snaps, Cincinnati ranked 30th in pass yards per game (150.4), an ineptitude that made it very difficult for running back Rudi Johnson to ever get going on the ground. Back-up quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick did not command the type of success that the 2006 Pro-Bowl MVP does, so Palmer’s return will inherently make Lewis’ offense a much more multi-dimensional unit. He also makes the receiving core, a unit headed by the troubled Pro-Bowl talent Chad “Johnson” Ochocinco, much more of a threat. The addition of wide receiver Laveranues Coles will also play a major role in 2009, especially in the wake of losing the team’s leading receiver, T.J. Houshmandzadeh (904 yards, four touchdowns). The additions of defensive tackle Tank Johnson and safety Roy Williams will help bolster a defensive unit that desperately needed it. The Bengals had a hard time stopping the run, and throwing a big body like Johnson into the mix will have an immediate impact.
Cons: The loss of Houshmandzadeh is a huge one for the Bengals. The All-Pro wide receiver was one of the team’s few bright spots in 2008, and without him, Ochocinco and Coles will be asked to pick up the load. Having a target like Houshmandzadeh would have also made Palmer’s transition back into the game a much easier one to handle. It’s never ideal to pin the hopes of an entire season on the healthy return of a player who has spent considerable time rehabilitating an injury, but the Bengals have no choice but to hope their franchise quarterback can return to form. Linebacker Dhani Jones (116 tackles, 2008) was one of the few bright spots for last year’s defensive unit, and unless Lewis can find a way to add some consistency around the team’s leading tackler, offense won’t matter.
Outlook: Look for the team’s new additions to breathe some life into a previously defunct franchise. Despite off-the-field concerns with people like Ochocinco, wide receiver Chris Henry and Tank Johnson, the Bengals seem committed to turning their fortunes around. The Orange and Black have nowhere to go but up and the return of Palmer will make them somewhat competitive again. Despite improvement, however, the Bengals won’t be in the playoff hunt the end of the season.
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Draft Overview: Defense was clearly the major area of concern for the Orange and Black as they prepared for the 2009 draft. With their first selection, the Bengals selected offensive tackle Andre Smith (Alabama, draft No. 6). With uncertainties surrounding the health of Palmer, a strong run game will be paramount to the success of a successful 2009 campaign in Smith, Cincinnati picked up a physical specimen that will help clear space for Rudi Johnson and the ground game. Despite his large stature (343 pounds), Smith is surprisingly agile and will have no problem moving around to create gaps for his running backs. With his second pick, Lewis found a steal and picked up inside linebacker Ray Maualuga (University of Southern California, draft No. 38), an energetic play-maker who knows how to control the middle of the field with unbridled tenacity. Lewis managed to find another steal with his third pick, when he selected defensive end Michael Johnson (Georgia Tech, draft No. 7), a rookie pegged as a situational pass-rusher more than capable of coming away with big sacks in big games.
Overall Outlook: The Bengals will not make the playoffs in 2009. Despite the resurrection of Palmer and a re-committed Ochocinco, the squad just doesn’t have what it takes to compete with the best teams in the AFC. The additions of Coles, Tank Johnson and Williams will have an immediate impact and their presence makes the team inherently better, but the Orange and Black will still struggle on the ground behind a less-than-mobile offensive line and an under-sized running back. It won’t take long before early struggles break up any chance of locker room cohesion.
Intangibles: For Lewis, the biggest unknown heading into the 2009 season is the level of commitment he will receive from his players. With a host of me-first athletes and troubled off-the-field characters, the Bengals will have a hard time holding it together. If the Bengals can keep their collective eyes on the prize, the Orange and Black have a shot at being competitive, but once players let non-foot-ball antics leak into the locker room, it will be another lost cause in Cincinnati.
SBG Global has posted their 2009 NFL Picks odds to win the 2010 Super Bowl:
Arizona CARDINALS: +2900
Atlanta FALCONS: +2000
Baltimore RAVENS: +2500
Buffalo BILLS: +8500
Carolina PANTHERS: +3950
Chicago BEARS: +2000
Cincinnati BENGALS: +8500
Cleveland BROWNS: +7500
Dallas COWBOYS: +1400
Denver BRONCOS: +6000
Detroit LIONS: +15000
Green Bay PACKERS: +2500
Houston TEXANS: +2000
Indianapolis COLTS: +1000
Jacksonville JAGUARS: +4500
Kansas City CHIEFS: +7500
Miami DOLPHINS: +3000
Minnesota VIKINGS: +800
New England PATRIOTS: +300
New Orleans SAINTS: +1700
New York GIANTS: +850
New York JETS: +3500
Oakland RAIDERS: +5500
Philadelphia EAGLES: +650
Pittsburgh STEELERS: +700
San Diego CHARGERS: +500
San Francisco 49ERS: +6500
Seattle SEAHAWKS: +3000
St. Louis RAMS: +8500
Tampa Bay BUCCANEERS: +10000
Tennessee TITANS: +2000
Washington REDSKINS: +4850
