Bengals: Can Cincinnati Finally Get Over Super Bowl Hump?

By Hunter Haas | Jul 10, 2023

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks off the field at the conclusion of the AFC championship NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The Kansas City Chiefs won, 23-20.Cincinnati Bengals At Kansas City Chiefs Afc Championship Jan 29 0212 /

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) walks between drills during an off-season workout inside Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. /

No. 4: They Aren’t Scared Of The Stacked AFC

Arguably the most important factor in this article is: The Bengals know they belong with the best of the best. Young teams often suffer from growing pains and struggles in crunch time. Thanks to a couple of deep playoff runs in the past two seasons, Burrow’s crew is battle tested.

Continuity is a massive piece of the puzzle when forming a perennial winner in the NFL. The chemistry is easier to maintain when a team doesn’t have to worry about cycling through different coordinators every offseason. Brian Callahan and Lou Anarumo return to Cincinnati to continue leading the units they’ve built from the ground up.

With a Burrow blockbuster contract extension on the horizon — as well as a hefty Ja’Marr Chase extension — now is the time to make a run at the Lombardi Trophy. The Bengals barely missed out on a second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl in 2022; they will exercise these demons in 2023 by winning their way through the stacked AFC without blinking.

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