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ESPN’s Kevin Clark appeared on First Take Friday morning, revealing his NFL team tiers, which were split into Super Bowl favorites, contenders and maybe contenders.
In his Super Bowl favorites tier, he included the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks while placing the Bengals in his contenders tier alongside the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles.
Clark picked the Bengals to face the Rams in Super Bowl LXI, as the broad interpretation of Cincinnati’s offseason has trended positive. The national media have discussed the Bengals as one of the trendiest teams of the offseason, ranging from analysts such as Nick Wright and Darius Butler, who are not sold on Cincinnati, to those like Clark, who believe the Bengals can not only be good but also contend for a Super Bowl in a crucial season for the franchise.
Clark did not include any AFC teams in the Super Bowl favorites tier, primarily because of the depth at quarterback in the conference. Bo Nix and Drake Maye have joined an AFC group that already includes Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, making the conference far deeper at quarterback than the NFC. Clark views the NFC West, featuring the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, as the strongest exception.
If the Bengals can stay healthy, there is no reason they should not find themselves in the playoff mix with a chance to make a postseason run, potentially validating Clark’s prediction. Led by arguably the NFL’s best offensive trio of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, along with defensive additions Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook and Jonathan Allen, Cincinnati could take one of the biggest single-season leaps in recent memory after finishing 6-11 in 2025.
Additionally, the Bengals have a favorable schedule, with the third-easiest strength of schedule based on forecasted win totals from Sharp Football Analysis. The AFC North is also arguably the weakest it has been in years, with the Cleveland Browns facing low expectations and the Pittsburgh Steelers entering the season with significant question marks. Furthermore, the Bengals’ opponents outside the division posted weak pass defenses in 2025, giving Cincinnati an opportunity to capitalize offensively.
Clark picking the Bengals to reach the Super Bowl is a bold projection after Cincinnati missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons, but the team’s offseason additions have clearly piqued his interest to the highest degree.
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In his Super Bowl favorites tier, he included the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks while placing the Bengals in his contenders tier alongside the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles.
Clark picked the Bengals to face the Rams in Super Bowl LXI, as the broad interpretation of Cincinnati’s offseason has trended positive. The national media have discussed the Bengals as one of the trendiest teams of the offseason, ranging from analysts such as Nick Wright and Darius Butler, who are not sold on Cincinnati, to those like Clark, who believe the Bengals can not only be good but also contend for a Super Bowl in a crucial season for the franchise.
Clark did not include any AFC teams in the Super Bowl favorites tier, primarily because of the depth at quarterback in the conference. Bo Nix and Drake Maye have joined an AFC group that already includes Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, making the conference far deeper at quarterback than the NFC. Clark views the NFC West, featuring the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, as the strongest exception.
If the Bengals can stay healthy, there is no reason they should not find themselves in the playoff mix with a chance to make a postseason run, potentially validating Clark’s prediction. Led by arguably the NFL’s best offensive trio of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, along with defensive additions Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook and Jonathan Allen, Cincinnati could take one of the biggest single-season leaps in recent memory after finishing 6-11 in 2025.
Additionally, the Bengals have a favorable schedule, with the third-easiest strength of schedule based on forecasted win totals from Sharp Football Analysis. The AFC North is also arguably the weakest it has been in years, with the Cleveland Browns facing low expectations and the Pittsburgh Steelers entering the season with significant question marks. Furthermore, the Bengals’ opponents outside the division posted weak pass defenses in 2025, giving Cincinnati an opportunity to capitalize offensively.
Clark picking the Bengals to reach the Super Bowl is a bold projection after Cincinnati missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons, but the team’s offseason additions have clearly piqued his interest to the highest degree.
Continue reading...
