Athlon Sports projects Bengals' playoff return with home Wild Card loss

Athlon Sports predicts the Cincinnati Bengals will reclaim the AFC North title and return to the playoffs this season. Despite this positive outlook, the outlook dims with expectations of a home loss in the Wild Card round to the New England Patriots. The Bengals are the only AFC North team retaining their head coach, Zac Taylor, while maintaining a significantly different roster. Athlon Sports references the Bengals' history, recalling their previous struggles in the Wild Card playoffs, highlighting a potential narrative as they aim for a deeper postseason run. The team's playoff performance will be crucial for Taylor's future as head coach.

• 11:05 AMYahoo Sports — Athlon Sports picks Bengals to resurface an old, heartbreaking trend