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After the Bengals started the 2017 NFL season 0–2, scoring only 9 points and no touchdowns, the team fired their offensive coordinator and replaced him with quarterback coach Bill Lazor. The improvement under Lazor was minimal and the Bengals never recovered from the bad start, finishing 7-9 on the 2017 season.
This year, Lazor is back as O-coordinator, but the Bengals have revamped almost their entire coaching staff, hiring 6 coaches in total. They have retained their longtime head coach Marvin Lewis as well, but they did hire Teryl Austin, formerly of the Detroit Lions, as defensive coordinator.
So how does this all affect the Cincinnati Bengals betting situation?
If quarterback in Andy Dalton can return to form supported by a rejuvenated running game and a re-shuffled offensive line paired with a more well rounded and hopefully injury-free defense, the Bengals have a chance to bounce back this season. However, that is a lot of 'ifs', so a lot of things have to go right for them in order for that to happen. Our NFL sportsbook shows Bengals betting odds being among the worst in their division.
Another thing working against the Bengals this season is their tough schedule: They will play eight games before they get a bye, and they have to play back-to-back games on the road against playoff teams in Atlanta and Carolina, plus another a few weeks later in Kansas City. At home it doesn't get any easier, with a home opener against Baltimore and later on in week six against AFC North champ Pittsburgh.
One positive in the schedule is that the Bengals are slated to play 14 games at 1 p.m., which historically is a good hour for them. In the past 12 seasons, they are under .500 in primetime games.
Regardless of the revamped coaching staff and positive changes on offence, there are still plenty of positions on the field that need to be improved, namely on the offensive line.
Currently the only stable presence they have on the offensive line is Cody Glenn. They are still waiting for first round draft pick Billy Price to recover from injury, and even when he recovers, he will be raw. So if Glenn goes down and Price struggles with his rehab it could leave the offensive line terribly exposed.
At linebacker, the Bengals are working with a unit made up of former Pro Bowler Vontaze Burfict, veteran Vincent Rey and rookie Malik Jefferson, who hasn't played a snap in the NFL yet. The combo of these three isn't the worst one could imagine, but it's certainly not the best, either. Last season the Bengals defense was fourth overall in the league in tackles, but was 18th in overall yards yielded, 30th overall in rushing defense.
To help the situation, in the offseason the Bengals signed linebacker Preston Brown, formerly of the Buffalo Bills, to help out at that position. Brown had 144 tackles in 2017, which tied him for first in the League.
Nick Vigil, who was injured against the Browns, is also expected to return this season, which should also provide some relief at linebacker. In his 27 career starts over the last two seasons, Vigil has 100 combined tackles and one sack.