Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals preview (No. 6): It's all about winning in the playoffs

Published Aug. 10, 2015 10:57 a.m. ET

foxsports

Our 2015 NFL preview series ranks every team, from worst to first. Today: the No. 6 Bengals.

2014 record: 10-5-1 (Lost in wild-card round to Colts)

Head coach: Marvin Lewis (13th season, 100-90-2 in regular season, 0-6 in playoffs)

Key arrivals: Denarius Moore (wide receiver), Pat Sims (defensive tackle), Josh Johnson (quarterback), Michael Johnson (defensive end), AJ Hawk (inside linebacker), *Cedric Ogbuehi (offensive tackle)

(*denotes rookie)

Key departures: Jason Campbell (quarterback), Robert Geathers (defensive end), Jermaine Gresham (tight end), Taylor Mays (strong safety), Marshall Newhouse (tackle), Terence Newman (cornerback), Mike Pollak (guard), Dane Sanzenbacher (wide receiver)

2015 schedule (ET):

Sept. 13: at Oakland, 4:25 p.m.

Sept. 20: San Diego, 1 p.m.

Sept. 27: at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Oct. 4: Kansas City, 1 p.m.

Oct. 11: Seattle, 1 p.m.

Oct. 18: at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Oct. 25: BYE

Nov. 1: at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

Nov. 5: Cleveland, 8:25 p.m.

Nov. 16: Houston, 8:30 p.m.

Nov. 22: at Arizona, 4:05 p.m.

Nov. 29: St. Louis, 1 p.m.

Dec. 6: at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Dec. 13: Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

Dec. 20: at San Francisco, 8:30 p.m.

Dec. 28: at Denver, 8:30 p.m.

Jan. 3: Baltimore, 1 p.m.

TRAINING CAMP QUESTION: How long before linebacker Vontaze Burfict is 100 percent?

Marvin Lewis is optimistic that his team's leading tackler in 2012 and 2013 can recover from January micro-fracture knee surgery. Lewis, though, hasn't publically stated a timetable for Burfict's return. Though the worst-case scenario would be Burfict missing at least the first six weeks of the regular season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, the Bengals have protected themselves with quality depth. Vincent Rey -- who had 121 tackles in 13 starts last season-- as well as free-agent signing A.J. Hawk (Green Bay) and 2015 third-round pick Paul Dawson are all viable options to start alongside middle linebacker Rey Maualuga and strong-side linebacker Emmanuel Lamur.

IF EVERYTHING GOES RIGHT

The Bengals shake off their playoff futility, navigate their way through a difficult schedule and reach the postseason again. Quarterback Andy Dalton shrugs off the criticism that has hounded him in recent years and leads a potent offense with a pair of stud running backs -- Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard -- behind him. A fully recovered Geno Atkins and Burfict join a returning Michael Johnson to pick up a defensive unit that struggled in 2014. All of this should lead to the first playoff victory of the Lewis era.

IF EVERYTHING GOES WRONG

Dalton continues to make mistakes and come up small in big games, Atkins continues to look slow in his recovery from a torn ACL in 2013 and Burfict struggles to get back to form after an injury ended his 2014 season. However, the ultimate failure here would be another winless postseason that could be the final nail in the coffin for Lewis.

BREAKOUT PLAYER: Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick

A 2012 first-round pick, Kirkpatrick has made only five starts in his first three NFL seasons. Kirkpatrick, though, showed he is ready for first-string work after intercepting Denver quarterback Peyton Manning twice in last season's Week 16 win. He entered training camp ahead of 2014 first-rounder Darqueze Dennard on the depth chart.

CIRCLE THE DATE GAME: TBA in the playoffs (January 2016)

Sure, the Bengals have plenty of juicy matchups on their schedule, with games against Seattle (Week 5) and Denver (Week 16) as well as the annual slate of division showdowns. But after four consecutive opening-round losses, Cincinnati fans won't be getting too excited until seeing whether the 2015 Bengals can win in the postseason.

ALEX MARVEZ'S PREDICTION: 10-6, second place

The media narrative of the 2014 Bengals season should have centered on how a slew of injuries crippled Cincinnati's playoff aspirations. But for a franchise that also had suffered opening-round losses the previous three seasons, the main remembrance of last year was the failure of Lewis and Dalton to get over the hump once again. Barring another widespread round of ailments, the Bengals will have another chance to end that postseason streak.

A talented roster is receiving a boost with the return of players who missed most or all of last season, including Burfict, wide receiver Marvin Jones and tight end Tyler Eifert. The Bengals also are hoping Atkins can regain the form that made him an interior pass-rushing force before suffering a major knee injury midway through the 2013 campaign. The rest of the defensive line failed to pick up its play as the Bengals finished with a league-low 20 sacks. The return of Johnson after one ill-fated season with Tampa Bay should help.

The Bengals have the makings of a dominating rushing attack to complement the production of star wide receiver A.J. Green. Hill led all NFL rookies last season with 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns, and he and Bernard form one of the league's most effective one-two punches. The Paul Alexander-coached offensive line also is stacked with talent and depth after Cincinnati used its first two draft picks on tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher. Bengals owner Mike Brown has shown the patience of a saint with Lewis and Dalton. That will be tested if this team fails to make some postseason noise once again.