The Cincinnati Bengals' offense finally seems to be getting back on track, but the team is still struggling to get into the W column.
They had just defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 41-24 on Sunday, but the week before that they struggled against the Philadelphia Eagles and the lowly Cleveland Browns and New York Giants.
Granted, they have won three of their last four games, but all three of those wins have come against teams that have won a combined six.
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TJ Houshmanzadeh of the Cincinnati Bengals is shown during a preseason game in Cincinnati on August 13, 2006. (Gregory Shams/Getty Images)
That's why former Bengals star TJ Houshmandzadeh isn't ready to start celebrating just yet.
“I don't know if it's exciting or not, but we were a team that wasn't going to be there come playoff time,” the former Bengal said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
Cincy will play the division rival Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, a team they lost 41-38 earlier this season, but if the Bengals can split the season series, Houshmandzadeh will be all for it.
“If we beat the Ravens, that excitement will be real excitement on Friday. For me, that's the biggest key. We have to beat a better team,” Houshmandzadeh said. “You have to beat a team that people don't expect to win. You dug yourself a hole, and now you have to get out of it. The Ravens are one of the first teams you see when you get out. 'In this hole, we don't have that excitement yet until we start beating teams that we think are good teams. ”
Bengals wide receiver TJ Houshmanzadeh is shown during a game in Cincinnati on November 28, 2004. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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But fans were excited.
As part of his new partnership with the Tide, Houshmandzadeh joined the Bengals faithful at a recent tailgate, where he recklessly downed Skyline Chili without repercussions.
“Of course I would drink, eat and play games. I got my sweater dirty – I had Skyline dust all over it – and I was disappointed. But then I… I thought, “Tide will clean it better than ever.'' So I was totally fine, because I knew Tide would handle the toughest stains. ” said Houshmandzadeh.
“It was a great experience to be at the game with the fans. I've never done it before. It was fun. No one does game day like Cincinnati does. I'm biased, but it was great. , it was fun, and I had fun too.'' I'm looking forward to doing it again. ”
And, unsurprisingly, Houshmandzadeh is confident the Bengals will win on the road.
TJ Houshmanzadeh of the Bengals carries the ball during a game in Houston on October 26, 2008. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
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“I'm confident, but I don't know if I'm saying it in my heart or in my head,” he said. “If you look at the first game, we had a 10-point lead with less than four minutes left and we had to win that game. If we do that, obviously we will win.”
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