10 NFL teams doomed to be worse in 2016

One could argue that the Cincinnati Bengals are under the most pressure of any team in the AFC in 2016. They’ve made the AFC Playoffs five straight seasons, and have zero playoff wins to show for it. For a team that isn’t built to handle the pressure of primetime games, there’s every chance that Cincy will regress in 2016, in what stands to be a make-or-break year for the beleaguered franchise.

When healthy, the Bengals easily had a top five roster last season, and arguably the most well-rounded team in the AFC North, why with the Pittsburgh Steelers having had no defense and both the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns spiraling into sub-.500 messes.

With Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant both facing suspensions, Pittsburgh isn’t exactly a buttoned-up exemplar of all-business-ness, either. But the Steelers have shown historically that they can handle adversity, whereas the Bengals, well, they have PacMan Jones and Vontaze Burfict. Pressure is mounting in Cincinnati for head coach Marvin Lewis to bring a playoff victory to the Queen City, and rightly so: This is as talented a team, top-to-bottom, as any Lewis has had.

Quarterback Andy Dalton is good enough to lead the Bengals to postseason wins, but he will have to do it without a few key weapons from last year, including Mohamed Sanu (now with Atlanta), and the good-but-always hurt Tyler Eifert. Losing offensive coordinator Hue Jackson to arch rival Cleveland won’t help the Bengals’ cause, either.

Realistically, the Bengals are good enough to still qualify for the 2016 AFC Playoffs as a Wild Card team, and possibly even win the AFC North if Pittsburgh can’t get it together. However, Cincinnati’s best chance to play in a Super Bowl may have been last year. They’ll be lucky to win a playoff game or two this winter, assuming that the Bengals even get there.

Next: 4. Los Angeles Rams.