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The Cincinnati Bengals enter the 2025 NFL season with more urgency than ever before. Last year’s 0-3 stumble to open the campaign nearly cost them a playoff berth. It forced Joe Burrow and company to claw their way back to a 9-8 finish. It was a reminder that in the hyper-competitive AFC, you can’t spot rivals a head start. Now, with the spotlight fixed firmly on Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and a Bengals roster that still carries championship expectations, the season kicks off with a pivotal road test. They enter Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. The stage is set for fireworks, questions, and perhaps a few surprises.
The Bengals can’t afford another slow start to the season. Last year’s sluggish September nearly doomed them. Head coach Zac Taylor knows the franchise has little margin for error in an AFC loaded with contenders. Burrow, healthy and reportedly sharper than ever, is determined to prevent a repeat. With weapons like Chase, Tee Higgins, and third-year riser Andrei Iosivas, Cincinnati boasts a passing attack capable of slicing through almost any secondary. Facing Cleveland in Week 1 is no soft landing. though. This is a rivalry game in hostile territory, with one of the league’s toughest defensive fronts ready to crash the party.
That’s the real question: are we sure the Bengals are going to be a legitimate football team in 2025? Under Taylor, this franchise has developed a maddening habit of opening seasons flat. A road trip to Cleveland means Cincy will face a fierce Dawg Pound crowd, a Browns defense anchored by Myles Garrett, and the unpredictability of Week 1. These could expose those familiar flaws. Sure, oddsmakers lean slightly toward the Bengals. However, no one in this rivalry expects an easy ride.
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Here we will look at and discuss some bold predictions for the game between the Bengals and the Browns in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season.
Joe Burrow is poised for one of his best statistical seasons yet. Surrounded by Chase, Higgins, and Iosivas, the Bengals’ aerial assault is primed to thrive. Burrow’s timing, touch, and chemistry with his receivers could produce chunk plays and touchdowns against a Browns defense that occasionally bends against deep shots. Expect him to look every bit like a quarterback ready to contend for MVP votes.
That said, the offensive line remains Cincinnati’s biggest question mark. Even after years of investment, the unit continues to lack cohesion. Against Garrett and rookie Mason Graham, who adds fresh legs to Cleveland’s front, Burrow will be under siege. He has made a career of absorbing punishment and getting back up. However, Week 1 could be a familiar story: big numbers on the stat sheet alongside four sacks. It will be a reminder that Cincinnati’s ceiling ultimately hinges on whether their protection holds up when it matters most.
**2. Chase Brown leads...
