NFL 2025: Cincinnati Bengals Over/Under For Wins

• The Cincinnati Bengals’ over-under wins projection for the 2025 NFL season is 9.5
• The Bengals had a disappointing 9-8 season in 2024, but rebounded from 4-8 to nearly make the playoffs
• Joe Burrow is in the conversation for best quarterback in the league, and Cincinnati brought back his key weapons, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins
• Cincinnati’s defense was the prime culprit for their inconsistent season, and they’ve hired a new defensive coordinator

The Team Nobody Wanted To Play in the 2024 Playoffs

The Chiefs, notably Travis Kelce, responded with a version of “Yeah, get outta here” when speculation arose that they were strategizing to keep the Bengals out of the playoffs, thereby avoiding a potential matchup with one of the league’s most potent offenses.

While they might not have tacitly enacted a plan to keep Cincinnati out of the tournament, it certainly benefited them and anyone else who could have faced Joe Burrow and Co., as it was taken out of the equation.

This does not absolve the Bengals, head coach Zac Taylor, and the team for their woeful start that put them in that position in the first place with 0-3 and 4-8 records. It does, however, speak to how dangerous they are when they are firing on all cylinders offensively, and their defense is at least serviceable.

Cincinnati Kept Its Main Cogs on Offense Together

Given owner Mike Brown’s frugality, there was concern that star wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins would price themselves out of Brown’s comfort zone. Chase signed for four years and $161 million. Higgins signed for four years and $115 million.

They also signed tight end Mike Gesicki to a three-year contract and brought in pass-catching back Samaje Perine from the Chiefs on a two-year deal. Chase Brown returns as the feature back.

Of course, the offense centers around Burrow. The star QB had a case for MVP and finished fourth in the AP voting. He led the league in completions, attempts, yards (4,918), and TD passes (43). He only threw 9 picks and had a 108.5 passer rating. As long as they have him healthy, they will be a threat.

A New Defensive Coordinator and Beefed Up Defense for 2025

The 2024 Bengals were 25th overall for total defense in the NFL. After the season, defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was fired. Anarumo had been the Bengals’ DC since 2019. He was subsequently hired in the same role with the Colts.

Al Golden was hired to replace him. Golden was the Bengals’ linebackers coach in 2020-21 and spent the last three seasons as DC at Notre Dame. He was a head coach in college at Temple and Miami (FL).

No matter how potent an offense is, getting into shootouts every week lends itself to a 9-8 record. They needed to address the defense beyond changing coordinators. They took minor steps to do that.

Star defensive end Trey Hendrickson is still on the roster despite trade rumors looming. They re-signed understated contributors defensive end Joseph Ossai, defensive tackle Cam Sample, cornerback Marco Wilson, and defensive tackle B.J. Hill.

Former Packers’ defensive tackle Tedarrell Slaton signed a two-year contract.

The 2025 draft focused primarily on defense and the offensive line. They selected defensive end Shemar Stewart in the first round out of Texas A&M, linebacker Demetrius Knight in the second out of South Carolina, and linebacker Barrett Carter in the fifth out of Clemson.

Their 2025 Schedule Is Somewhat Favorable

In the AFC North, the Bengals play the Steelers, Ravens, and Browns twice each. They travel to play the Vikings, Broncos, Packers, Bills, and Dolphins. They host the Jaguars, Lions, Jets, Bears, Patriots, and Cardinals.

Bengals Over/Under For Wins

The Bengals are relying heavily on their offense repeating its production from 2024 and a new defensive coordinator cobbling together a better unit than his predecessor with largely the same cast. There are lingering questions about Hendrickson and whether he will be a Bengal this season. They need to get immediate contributions from their draft class.

Burrow is a constant, and he has his favorite two receivers, but will that be enough to prevent a repeat of their terrible start and desperate late-season winning streak that nearly got them into the playoffs?

It’s iffy, so the wise play is to expect them to win fewer than 9.5 games again.