The Cincinnati Bengals have summed up enough fortitude to make consecutive deep playoff runs over the last two seasons. After a successful draft, they are preparing to do it again. 

Cincinnati has the roster and they are battle tested. While that is good to have under your belt, every season is different, and other teams improve from year to year as well, making the challenge of winning even harder. 

When it comes to the Bengals reaching their third straight AFC Championship Game, Pro Football Focus didn't say it won't happen, but they deemed the AFC North the league's toughest division so they feel the task will be immense. 

The Cincinnati Bengals have been to the AFC championship game in each of the past two seasons, falling at the final hurdle against the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl to end the 2021 season. Quarterback Joe Burrow finished with the NFL's highest PFF passing grade in the regular season and playoffs last year (91.0). Lamar Jackson missed the final six games of the season for the Baltimore Ravens but ended the year with an 85.2 PFF grade, which ranked fifth at the position. With a revamped group of wide receivers featuring Odell Beckham Jr. and first-round draft pick Zay Flowers, they will expect to contend with the Bengals for the division crown.

Baltimore won 10 games and made the playoffs last season even with Jackson on the sidelines, and battled the Bengals tough before losing in the Wild-Card round. So, a healthy, and financially stable Jackson with more weapons and a top-10 defense returning, the Ravens will be a tough team to contend with.

Unfortunately for the Bengals, Baltimore isn't the only team they have to deal with.

Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns earned the highest PFF pass-rushing grade in the NFL last season (93.5), but they will need quarterback Deshaun Watson to produce better than his 51.6 PFF passing grade, which ranked 34th of the 36 quarterbacks to record at least 200 dropbacks in 2022. Over the final eight weeks of the season, only three quarterbacks had a higher PFF passing grade than the 82.9 mark produced by Kenny Pickett of the Pittsburgh Steelers, something that will spark hope for a quick turnaround. 

Cleveland's defense was ranked in the top half of the league in 2022. They recently added Pro Bowl edge rusher Za'Darius Smith to play opposite Garrett as well as drafting defensive tackle Siaki Ika to bolster the defensive front. 

The Steelers used the draft to get quarterback Kenny Pickett another weapon in tight end Darnell Washington. Also, they doubled up on cornerbacks with Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice for a defense that was tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the league lead with 20 interceptions in 2022.

So as you can see, the Bengals' path through their division will be tough. Throwing in matchups with the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and 49ers, Cincinnati won't have it easy, but they won't make life a cakewalk for any team either.