Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Marvin Jones reacts after scoring a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Bengals receiver Marvin Jones has high hopes for his team this season. Darron Cummings AP Photo/Darron Cummings
The Cincinnati Bengals have tasted nothing but victory through six games this season, and they're hoping the flavor lasts through the playoffs for once.
The past four postseasons have not been kind to Cincinnati, and being on the road for three of its four losses hasn't helped. Heading into a major divisional clash in Pittsburgh, the Bengals have a chance this Sunday to take a commanding lead in the AFC North and start working toward at least one home playoff game. A win this Sunday would send the Steelers to 4-4, and give the Bengals a nearly insurmountable 3 1/2 game advantage.
A home game could certainly help the Bengals end their postseason slide, but why stop there? Quarterback Andy Dalton said two weeks ago that the team's goal is to win the Super Bowl, not just a playoff game. His teammates are singing the same tune.
"It's great that we're 6-0, but we're chasing something great and we know it," receiver Marvin Jones told Joe Kay of the Associated Press.
"What we've done is win every chance we've had, and there's a lot more of that we're going to have to do going forward to put ourselves in position to do what we want," added veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth. "And that's to make the playoffs and have the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl."
Dalton has drawn plenty of praise for his uptick in performance this season. He's shown confidence that didn't seem to be there in the playoffs, especially last January in Indianapolis when he was 18 of 35 for 155 yards in a 26-10 loss to the Colts.
If he can carry it over into January this season, the Bengals should have their first playoff victory since 1990.
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