The NFL announced Wednesday that the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys will kick off the preseason in August by participating in the 2010 Hall of Fame game August 8 in Canton, Ohio. It will mark the first time since 1982 that two previous division winners will square off in the exhibition game.
While the Cowboys are coming off an 11-5 season in which they recorded their first playoff win in 14 years, the Bengals will enter 2010 as AFC North champions—an accomplishment not many expected coming into last season.
In a division with arguably two of the best defenses the last couple of years, most analysts expected the Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens to be crowned AFC North champions in 2009—especially after the two teams met in the AFC Championship the previous season.
Instead, Cincinnati proved all doubters wrong on the way to their first division sweep in franchise history before falling to the New York Jets in the opening round of the 2010 playoffs.
It may only be a preseason game, but there should be plenty of excitement when the defending NFC East champions take on the Bengals August 8—espeically since both teams should be strong playoff contenders once again in 2010.
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