It’s no secret that national pundits are not quite as familiar with the Cincinnati Bengals as they are in regard to, say, the Kansas City Chiefs. As it is, the Bengals and Chiefs face off yet again this week at Arrowhead in what looks to be one of the most anticipated games of the NFL season.
NFL Live “Prank” Latest Troll Job By National Media Toward Cincinnati Bengals
Each week, the NFL Live hosts on ESPN make their picks for the games of the week. Last week, the entire panel picked the Bengals to beat the New England Patriots.
Obviously, they were all wrong.
This week, it looked for a second that the panel was going to do the same. But this time, it was a prank by the ESPN graphic team, evidently.
After several minutes of the "NFL Live" cast discussing how they like the Chiefs over the Bengals, their graphics department trolled them by showing them all picking Cincinnati. That drew quick rebuttals and disclaimers: "We all picked the Chiefs, actually!" pic.twitter.com/4NKxF8kkiD
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 13, 2024
Predictably, each host backpedaled in response.
Mina Kimes: “Huh”
Laura Rutledge: “What”
Ryan Clark: “NO!
Dan Orlovsky: “I don’t think so”
Marcus Spears: “Not my pick”
Was this just the panel reacting because of last week’s unanimous pick curse or was it more?
No Respect From National Media
The Bengals being on the receiving end of disrespect from national pundits is not new. It’s expected, actually.
There are some, like Bart Scott on ESPN, who are actively hostile towards the team due to playing against them. Scott was the one who suggested the Baltimore Ravens head-hunt Joe Burrow after he and the Bengals destroyed the Ravens back in 2021 and broke the franchise single-game passing record.
Stephen A. Smith, noted level-headed analyst who isn’t affected by emotion, ripped the Bengals this week:
“I hope that the Cincinnati Bengals fall flat on their damn face. That organization makes me sick,” Smith proclaimed. “This man Mike Brown… you’ve got Joe Burrow who is an all-world quarterback… all he does is go to back-to-back AFC Championship games. This is an organization that spent years having fans wear bags over their heads. This is how horrid they were with his notoriously cheap @$ self.”
AD“He was considered the damn Donald Sterling of the National Football League. And here you are, you luck up, you get a guy like Joe Burrow on your squad who flat out balls, it doesn’t matter who he goes up against. You pay him his money, but then going to give a problem to the people that he utilizes as his primary weapons.”
Of course, Smith ignores the fact that the Bengals have a history of paying both quarterbacks and star wide receivers. The Bengals and Ja’Marr Chase are close on a deal and they will “bend over backward” to get the deal done. It’s just more performative outrage.
Adam Schefter has been notorious recently. With every negative piece of info coming out of Cincinnati —whether it be the Higgins or Chase contracts or what have you —he’s seemed almost gleeful. This spring, he even went so far as to make the asinine suggestion that Higgins make a “business decision” this year and milk a minor injury.
.@AdamSchefter was stunned by a comment @danorlovsky7 made about Tee Higgins 👀 😅 pic.twitter.com/Dn34sQhjih
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) May 15, 2024
At least Orlovsky pushed back on the assertion.
Reverse the Jinx
Last week, the Bengals were the heaviest favorite in the NFL and, according to ESPN, they were the highest share of selections in “survivor leagues.” This week, it seems everything has flipped.
Even if the team hadn’t flopped against the Patriots, the Chiefs would likely have been a major favorite. Without Higgins, the Bengals offense is different. Plus, Kansas City was coming off an impressive win over the Ravens in Week 1.
The only way to silence doubters is to win. Burrow is 3-1 against the Chiefs including two playoff matchups. Last year, the Chiefs beat the Bengals with Jake Browning at quarterback and the backup played admirably.
Chase and start corner Cam Taylor-Britt have been giving the Chiefs plenty of bulletin board material. It’s almost time for them to back it up.
