Ben Johnson might be the biggest winner of the Bengals' shortcomings

The Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals have taken opposing trajectories since the 2021 season. 

The Bengals began the decade equipped with a talented, young core. When they made a postseason run and came up just short of a Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LVI, the belief was that the team would soon return to avenge the loss.

The Lions, on the other hand, began the decade as a laughingstock. They were best known for head coach Dan Campbell’s infamous introductory press conference, and they traded quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams so he could have an opportunity to see postseason success before his career came to an end.

Three years later, everything has shifted.

Bengals failures may open opportunity for Ben Johnson

The Bengals dropped to a 4-7 record after their 34-27 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11. After the crushing defeat, Cincinnati has just a 10 percent playoff probability, per NFL Next Gen Stats. 

The results thus far are disappointing for a team that had Super Bowl aspirations heading into the 2024 season. Missing the postseason entirely could have sealed the fate of head coach Zac Taylor.

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has emerged as the most promising head coaching candidate in the league. If the role is available in Cincinnati, it could be the ideal destination. 

In Detroit, Johnson has taken a roster of castaways and misfits to form the top-ranked scoring offense in the league. Detroit set a franchise record for margin of victory in their 52-6 trouncing of the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was their fifth game with 30-plus points and their second game with 52 points this season.

Johnson will undoubtedly be the top head coaching choice in the next hiring cycle, and he would likely work wonders with Cincinnati’s offensive roster. The team already has an established franchise quarterback in Joe Burrow, along with bonafide offensive weapons in wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Although contracts will need to be extended and salary cap management could become an issue, a well-handled offseason could springboard the team back into contention.

It remains to be seen if the Bengals’ ownership is willing to invest the money and attention needed to build a championship roster, and whether or not Johnson can successfully transition to the responsibilities of a head coach. If he can bring his magic from Detroit to Cincinnati, however, the Bengals could be hoisting a Lombardi Trophy sooner rather than later.