Bengals Season Opener Against the New England Patriots: 5 Key Things to Watch

 

The 2024 NFL season is upon us, and the Cincinnati Bengals are eager to move past last year and reassert themselves as a top team in the AFC.

Their opening challenge comes from the New England Patriots. Once a dominant dynasty, the Patriots are now in rebuild mode, featuring a new head coach and yet another change at quarterback.

Despite Joe Burrow's mid-November injury, the Bengals remained competitive until the end, narrowly missing the playoffs but finishing with a 9-8 record in the challenging AFC North.

Cincinnati aims to get off to a strong start and secure a season-opening win under Zac Taylor for just the second time. As the season opener approaches, here are the five key storylines to watch on Sunday.

As anticipated, the major offseason storyline for the Bengals has centered on the future of one of their star receivers.

However, it’s not the receiver you might expect.

While many speculated that Tee Higgins might hold out or request a trade after being franchise-tagged, the real story has been 2021 first-round pick Ja'Marr Chase, who is holding in for a new contract.