2010 Cincinnati Bengals Odds | Preview | Picks

2010 Cincinnati Bengals Team Preview/Predictions

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2009 Record: 10-6
ATS: 7-9-0

On rare, unfortunate occasions, a team’s season is marked neither by success nor failure, and instead it is by tragedy. Such was the case for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2009 as the team was forced to overcome the sudden loss of both defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s wife and the tragic death of wide receiver Chris Henry during the season.

Obviously football is just a game and it therefore pales in comparison to the loss of life, but it was heartwarming to see the Bengals fight through their grief, finish 10-6, and win the AFC North for the first time since 2005.

On the field the 2009 Bengals transformed themselves into a run-first team led by the workhorse efforts of a reborn Cedric Benson in the backfield (1,251 yards, 301 carries) and a no-name defense that was one of the pleasant surprises in all of football last year.

Unfortunately for the Bengals, their story of triumph over adversity was short-lived as the New York Jets came into Cincinnati and dominated the Bengals on the ground, running them out of the first round of the playoffs, 24-14.
The good news in southern Ohio this offseason, however, involves the Bengals reloading in exactly the spots they needed to.

The potentially disturbing news is how they did it. Head coach Marvin Lewis has seemingly never met a football player he doesn’t think he can save, and to that end the Bengals’ 2010 reclamation projects will include wide receivers Terrell Owens (Buffalo) and Matt Jones (Jacksonville), plus free agent defensive back Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones.

This season will also be, in part, about players returning from injury. Top draft pick, tight end Jermaine Gresham (Oklahoma), likely would have been selected in the top 10 (if not the top five) had he not blown out his knee early in his senior season.

Likewise defensive end Antwan Odom was on his way to a monster year before being lost for 2009 with a ruptured Achillies.

All this suggests that Bengals fans should be excited on both sides of the ball this year. For the first time since the team could line up with Chad Ocho Cinco, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Chris Henry on the outside, a fully healthy Carson Palmer can now spread the field with Ocho Cinco, Owens, and newly-acquired Antonio Bryant (Tampa Bay).

This is the kind of situation in which Palmer thrives as a quarterback.

On defense, the Bengals have quietly found a very solid pair of cornerbacks that few have heard of in Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall.

They will add standout linebacker Brandon Spikes (Florida) alongside last year’s second-round draft pick at the same spot, Ray Maualuga.

The challenge for the Bengals will be keeping all the egos and headcases on their roster in check. If the Bengals can do that and get roughly the same play from their offensive line that they received last year, expect their offense to feature more balance and punch this season.

Bengals 2010 Outlook

This will make Cincinnati a serious threat to repeat as division champions and win its first playoff game since 1991.

Bengals 2010 Futures

Super Bowl Odds: +2800
Conference Odds: +1600
AFC North Odds: +333

2010 Bengals Predictions

Place they’ll finish in AFC North: 2nd
Place they’ll finish in AFC Conference: 6th
Over/Under Season Wins Prediction: Over 8.5 Wins

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Dave Golokhov has written for BETUS Sportsbook, Sportsfanmagazine.com, FOX, Askmen.com, Sports-central.org, and the FOXSports.com Funhouse.