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How the Cincinnati Bengals can win the AFC North in 2020

By Russell S. Baxter

CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 29: Joe Mixon #28 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs with the ball during the game against the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 29: Joe Mixon #28 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs with the ball during the game against the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Cincinnati Bengals
Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /

Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals finished 12 games back in the AFC North last year.

The Cincinnati Bengals last division title — as well as playoff berth — came in 2015. That was the end of a five-year playoff run for the franchise, a club record for a team that first took the field in the AFL in 1968. But since then, the Bengals have digressed badly to the tune of four consecutive losing seasons and a combined 21-42-1 the past four years.

After Marvin Lewis was let go after 16 seasons and seven postseason appearances (all without a win), the organization turned to former Rams’ assistant Zac Taylor in 2019 and made him the team’s newest head coach. The Bengals dropped their first 11 games for the first time in team history and finished 2-14, the worst record in the league.

The franchise used the first overall pick in April’s draft on Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow in hopes of turning things around.

This is the sixth installment of a series that has focused the NFL’s eight last-place teams in the league this past season and the formula it would take for them to win a division title in 2020. Obviously, that’s much easier said than done but dramatic turnarounds have become commonplace in this league.

So far, there’s been previews of the NFC West, AFC West, NFC South and AFC South and NFC North. Now the Bengals look to capture the AFC North for the first time since 2015. So what has to happen for this to be a possibility?

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