AP writer predicts Bengals win Super Bowl LVIII

Before the first game of a new season, it’s easy for fans and media to imagine anything can happen for any team, and for the Cincinnati Bengals, after back-to-back AFC Championship appearances, it’s even easier.

Rob Maaddi, an NFL writer for AP, made his preseason predictions for the year, including a Super Bowl prediction, which had the Bengals beating the Dallas Cowboys to capture their first Lombardi trophy in franchise history.

Here’s what Maaddi said about his prediction of the Bengals winning the AFC North:

Another loaded division led by Burrow and the Bengals. Their offense is stacked. Defense needs to overcome losing a pair of standout safeties.

He had the Bengals beating the much-improved New York Jets in the AFC Championship to make it back to the Super Bowl and said the Bengals would top the Cowboys in the final game of the season.

The Bengals have been expected to be a good team this season and seeing them right in the middle of a preseason conversation about the Super Bowl has not been uncommon.