Happy but Cautious

In the immortal words of Yogi Berra, “it's like déjà vu all over again.” My Cincinnati Bengals have once again started the season in hot fashion. After easily beating the Oakland Raiders in week 1 of the 2015 National Football League regular season, the home opener of the Bengals in which they hosted the San Diego Chargers in week 2 was a tight game as a late interception by Vincent Rey sealed the second win of the season for the men in the black and orange stripes. Week 3 saw the Bengals blow a 14-0 lead to the Baltimore Ravens only to recapture it with a few minutes left in the game in route to a thrilling 28-24 victory that sent myself and the rest of Who Dey Nation on an emotional rollercoaster ride. The win was the team’s third of the season, and their current record is 3-0. Déjà vu. This time last year, the Bengals had the same record and were considered to be one of the best teams in the NFL. Then it all went south.

After riding a wave of momentum to three straight victories to begin last season, the New England Patriots stomped the Bengals into the ground on a nationally televised primetime Sunday night game. The swagger the Bengals had during the first three games of the 2014 season vanished and was never seen again that year. They finished the regular season with a record of 10-5-1 and limped into the playoffs where they faced the Indianapolis Colts who handed them a fourth straight first round playoff loss to extend the postseason victory draught of the Bengals to 24 years. It was a depressing end to a season that started out fantastic.

So here we are in 2015 and my beloved Bengals have once again started the season with a 3-0 record. Last year at this time, I was thrilled. This year, I am happy but cautious. I am cautious because three games are not enough to punch a team’s ticket to playoff success. The Bengals still have 13 regular season games left to play, and in the NFL, teams who are winners one week can be losers the next. I have seen my Bengals look like a powerhouse team one week only to collapse the following week in route to a loss. It is demoralizing for not only the team but for fans of the Bengals. Who Dey Nation desperately wants this team to succeed, and if the 2015 Bengals collapse like last year’s squad did, the city of Cincinnati will once again feel that unwelcomed but all too familiar emotion of heartbreak. That is why I am cautious.

However, I believe in my Bengals, and I am happy that they have won their first three games of the season. They have played really good football so far, but there is definitely room for improvement. The game against the Ravens easily pointed out that fact. I am not going to dwell on that though. Instead I am going to get pumped for the Bengals’ next two home games against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks in which they hopefully extend their wining streak to five games in a row. As a Bengals fan, I am happy right now. Happy but cautious.

Who Dey!