Joe Burrow is confident the Cincinnati Bengals will play a "lot of games this year" and "win a Super Bowl," but one analyst is not buying that optimism.

"Am I going to put them above Buffalo in the AFC? No. Am I going to put them above Baltimore in their own division? No. Above New England? No. I don't know that I'm going to have them above the Chargers," ESPN analyst Michael Wilbon said on Get Up.

Wilbon's skepticism stems from the struggles Burrow and company faced last season. Every team the analyst cited beat the Bengals at some point during the year.

In Week 12 of the 2025 season, the New England Patriots defeated Cincinnati 26-20. The Buffalo Bills followed with a 39-34 victory in Week 14.

The Baltimore Ravens faced the Bengals twice last season. Cincy won 32-14 in Baltimore in Week 13, but was shut out 24-0 by the Ravens in Week 15. Notably, Burrow was present for all but the Patriots game.

On the offensive side, Cincinnati ranked 12th in points scored and 17th in total yards, while its defense was near the bottom of the league, placing 30th in points allowed and 31st in total yards.

Buffalo's offense, by contrast, ranked fourth in both categories. New England finished second and third in those same metrics and went on to reach the Super Bowl.

But the Ravens were not dominant, ranking 11th and 16th offensively, putting them in a similar range to the Bengals. So, Who Dey Nation was not ready to agree with Wilbon's assessment.

Cincinnati Fans Weigh In on Wilbon’s Bengals Comments

When Wilbon's comments were shared on social media, Cincinnati fans were quick to respond.

"Wilbon is clueless. That Bills roster is not good. Beside Allen, their roster is weak. Also, everyone seems to forget the Bills and Ravens both have new head coaches that have never been a HC before," one fan wrote.

Joe Burrow led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2021 season, something Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson have yet to accomplish.

"How many Super Bowls has Lamar and Allen been to? Because I don't remember seeing them in one. The national hate for the Bengals is strong," another fan added.

Others pointed to Cincinnati's 6-11 record last season being largely a product of Burrow's health issues, arguing things could look very different if he stays on the field.

"I don't care what Wilbon thinks. If Joe can stay healthy, Joe Burrow can do things no other quarterback in the league can do. That's a big if, but he is special," a fan noted.

Several fans also pointed to the Bengals' defensive upgrades this offseason as a reason for confidence.

"If Joe is healthy all year and the defense is as good as it looks on paper, they will finish better than every team in the AFC," one predicted.

Another fan added a humorous reaction to Wilbon’s remarks.

"This is good because Wilbon is never right about anything," a fan quipped.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Shubhi Rathore

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore