5 Keys For The Bengals To Have a Successful Season in 2018

A.J. Green (left) and Andy Dalton (right)

With NFL training camp approaching the Cincinnati Bengals seem to be a big mystery in 2018. The Bengals have an opportunity to  still be a contender in the AFC and after a down season in 2017, there seems to be a lot of people that forget the amount of talent this team has.

The Bengals didn't make many big off season additions to their roster, they are bringing back head coach Marvin Lewis after it seemed they were going to part ways after a 15-year stint with the organization. However, after the season finale victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals announced that coach Lewis would return for the 2018-19 season. 

Here are 5 things the Bengals will need to have a successful season in 2018:

1. Create Turnovers. In 2017 they finished near the bottom of the league in interceptions (11), dead last in forced fumbles (4) and total turnovers (15). They have to give the offense more opportunities and the defense not getting turnovers means they'll usually have to be on the field for more plays and they'll have less time to rest. With a new defensive coordinator this season maybe this is something that we could see change, maybe we see more exotic blitzes and a less conservative defense. 
2. Mix-on it up.  Joe Mixon entering his second season is the obvious featured back this season with Jeremy Hill no longer on the roster. What people believed would be a great stable of backs in 2017 ended up being a blunder of backs. Mixon didn't really get good traction to start his rookie campaign but showed flashes through the season, mostly due to having to share carries with two other backs. Also, it help with him having to run behind one of the most inconsistent offensive lines in the league. 2018 is looking different. The Bengals have added former Buffalo Bills' Left Tackle Cordy Glenn and drafted Center Billy Martin from the Ohio State University. It's on Mixon and veteran running back Giovani Bernard to show they can be dynamic running back duo that people believe they can be. 
3. Beat the Steelers. The Bengals are on a four-game losing streak (regular season games) against the Steelers. The last time they defeated the Steelers was November 1, 2015. If the Bengals are going to compete for a playoff spot in 2018 they have to beat the team that has been the best in their division, as well as the entire NFL, the past few seasons. To put it in simple terms: "To be the best, you've got to beat the best". 
4. More than Green. 2017 offense was essentially the A.J. Green show. If Green wasn't making a big play it wasn't really much hope for the offense; the rushing attack wasn't very effective, no other player besides Green had over 600 receiving yards and the production decreased with every other receiver from 2016 to 2017. If they can get more consistent production from their receivers not named A.J. Green it will benefit quarterback Andy Dalton drastically, the Bengals could open up their rushing attack and could allow for even more opportunities for Green too. 
5. Take advantage of winnable games. It always seems like this team suffers losses through the season to  the hands of teams they should be able to defeat, based off of match-ups. If the Bengals win the games that they are suppose to they could potentially fight for a top seed in the AFC which could lead to a first-round bye in the playoffs. Remember, this is something that hurt the Bengals in the 2015 season. Had they gotten a bye week for the playoffs, they would've had Andy Dalton, who suffered a thumb injury in week 14 against the Steelers, back for the playoffs and a lot of people believed they could've made it to the AFC Championship game with the roster they had that season. Winning teams win games that they are suppose to.  

2018 has a lot of questions surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals and who they are verses what they could be. On paper it seems to be a very talented team. However, recent history has shown us that they are a team that is continuing to underachieve and have failed to rise to the top of the AFC. This is a team that has a quarterback who is in his prime as well as their premier receiver in A.J. Green. The window of opportunity seems to be getting smaller every year since 2015 for this team. Can Marvin Lewis finally lead this organization a playoff win after failing to do so in his first seven attempts? If they can do these 5 things, this could be a team that could be exciting to watch and be a team that plays late into January.