Burrow’s toe injury crushes Cincinnati’s Super Bowl dreams for now, pushing Browning into the starting role and sending odds from 20-1 to 80-1. Taylor insists Browning can win games and contend for post-season glory, while the schedule pitchers a tough road ahead with multiple high-scoring defenses—yet several favorable matchups offer a real path to a late-season surge if Browning hits stride.

Predictions for Weeks 3–18 hinge on defense, turnover timing, and Browning’s past experience stepping in during 2023. If Cincinnati can steal a few key wins against leaky defenses—and Burrow isn’t needed for a playoff run—their postseason odds aren’t dead, just dramatically thinner.

With eight teams allowing 29+ PPG, the path remains plausible: the Bengals face Browns, Ravens (twice), Steelers (twice), Dolphins, Bears, Jets and others in a 15-game stretch. If Browning can navigate this slate and Cincinnati sneaks to 9-8 or similar, Burrow could return for a dramatic postseason push.

Buffalo's interior is thin without Ed Oliver, yet DaQuan Jones anchors the middle while TJ Sanders and Deone Walker rotate in, with Zion Logue providing depth. The trio absorbed valuable reps in Week 1 against the Jets and showed growth as Buffalo eyes Thursday Night Football on a short week.

Buffalo smothered the Jets to 154 yards, 11 first downs and 0-for-11 on third down, a testament to the young group’s progress. McDermott stressed further development, as the same rookie quartet will be leaned on again versus a run-heavy Jets attack.