This weekend, the Cincinnati Bengals reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 1988. They were massive underdogs going into the season and remain underdogs for the Big Game, but they’ve still managed to achieve excellent results through strategy and perseverance. Despite not reaching the Super Bowl in 33 years and not winning a playoff game in 31 years, they’ve managed to find success this season, and it certainly wasn’t a fluke.
In one glorious postseason season, the Bengals beat the Las Vegas Raiders in the wildcard round before going on the road to beat top seeds Tennessee in Nashville and top dogs Kansas City at Arrowhead. What does this mean for the Bears and the rest of the league? Everything. The success that the Bengals have achieved, even if they don’t win, is an example that other teams can follow. The Bengals might have odds of +170 at Betway for the Super Bowl, but at the start of the season, they were +15000.
How the Bengals Achieved Success
The Bengals have never won a Super Bowl in their 54-year history, but they’re one win away from surprising Super Bowl favorites Kansas City Chiefs and moving to their first NFL championship since 1988. The Bengals will face the NFC champion Los Angeles Rams on Sunday evening with a chance to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the first time in franchise history.
The Bengals have built a young and exciting team, with offensive talents Joe Burrows and Ja’Marr Chase giving them the points they need to come from behind and get the results they need. Their season was punctuated with close and hard-fought games, showing they have grit and determination that other sides lack. This winning culture didn’t come from anywhere, it was built over time with recruitment and strategy.
Aside from the impressive performances from the players themselves, the Bengals have also shown a willingness to change things up when they’re not working. They’re an excellent second-half team, and coach Zac Taylor is always ready to make changes when needed. The team isn’t just aiming for the Super Bowl either. This has been part of a larger rebuild project that could see the Bengals continue to improve.
What the Bears Can Do to Achieve Similar Results
The day after the Bengals beat the Kansas City Chief in the AFC Championship Game to reach the Super Bowl, new Bears General Manager Ryan Poles gave his thoughts. “Yeah, absolutely, I think we can be competitive, and the beautiful thing about football is what we just saw with the Bengals.” Clearly, the thinking is that if the Bengals can do it, so can the Bears.
It’s hard to argue with that sentiment, and although the Bengals weren’t built overnight, there’s already a lot of quality in the Bears’ roster. Under Poles and new head coach Matt Eberflus, the Bears have enough potential to avoid a full rebuild, even if they’ll have to be exceedingly careful with little draft capital and a precarious cap situation.
There’s a lot that the Bears can learn a lot from the success of the Bengals. First and most importantly, the team should do everything possible to find Fields a good receiver or two. Having an excellent quarterback isn’t much use without one, and the success of the Bengals has been formed on the partnership between Burrows and rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
The second thing to keep in mind is that growth can take time, especially in sports where injuries can always derail the best-laid plans. For the Bears, reaching the Super Bowl is most likely a long shot right now. However, things seemed impossible for the Bengals at one point too. If the right changes can be made, there’s no reason why the Bears can’t improve results and go on a similar run next season.
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