NFL playoffs entrance survey: Bengals have learned from their mistakes and Joe Burrow’s Super Bowl window is wide open

When 2021 kicked off, not many picked Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals to go the distance. However, a year later, getting to the big game is seen as an attainable goal for the quarterback. That said, getting to the Super Bowl is not an easy task. Here's a look at the pros and cons of backing the team before the playoffs start.

NFL playoffs picks: Why the Bengals are a good bet

Joe Burrow at Cincinnati Bengals v Dallas Cowboys

At 12-4 and coming off a seven-game winning streak, the team is one of the hottest in football. Even in the game that was canceled, the team owned a 7-3 lead over the Buffalo Bills. Should they run into that team in the playoffs, many would back Burrow over Allen.

Will Joe Burrow avenge his Super Bowl loss?

During that winning streak, the Bengals beat Patrick Mahomes again. Not many teams can utter that phrase. Should the team face the quarterback in the playoffs, they wouldn't even need to worry about home-field advantage due to the neutral site solution put forward by the NFL.

Meaning, this year's AFC championship could be even easier if that is what it comes down to. The Bengals will be facing Lamar Jackson's backup in all likelihood this weekend. Even if the quarterback returns, he will be spending a lot if not the entire game knocking off rust.

Meanwhile, the other opponents, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, and Skylar Thompson or Tua Tagovailoa, have never been in the playoffs before. Although Burrow has only been to the playoffs once before, he is the third-most experienced playoff quarterback in the conference. This is a clear advantage for the quarterback.

While others will be feeling their way through the pressure of the moment, Burrow will be cool, calm and collected, and the 2022-23 playoffs will feel similar to just another regular-season game for him.

This season, despite losing a game on the schedule due to tragic circumstances with Damar Hamlin, the quarterback threw for a career-high in touchdowns. Last year, he threw for 34 touchdowns. He has thrown for 35 touchdowns this year.

Why the Bengals are a nasty bet

Cincinnati Bengals v New Orleans Saints

The Cincinnati Bengals lost the Super Bowl at the end of last season due to a last-second drive put on by the Los Angeles Rams. For all the praise that Cooper Kupp, Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford have received about the game, the Bengals have gone under the radar as the team that choked away the final moments.

The loss could be a haunting one that not even the players or coaches realize they are still suffering from until they get into a tight situation in the playoffs. Will they give up a brutal final quarter against another opponent because they are still thinking too hard about the Super Bowl loss?

Until they get in that first situation and come out on top, it remains anyone's guess. If they do come up short in the first tight circumstances, it could manifest into a long-running playoff issue that ultimately puts a ceiling on the team's abilities. Of course, it won't be a clear case for a number of years, but the foundation of the narrative starts this month or even this week.

Also, while many claim that the de facto bye that resulted from the Bills game was a positive to get extra rest and avoid injuries that may have happened in the game, it could also have stopped the team's momentum. Since the no-contest, the team has won just a single game, which is far from an indication of momentum.

While the team is technically 7-0 in their past seven games, it may feel like 1-0 heading into the Wild Card weekend. Will the Bengals meet expectations this season or stumble in their quest to prove that last year's playoff run was not a fluke?