Kirkpatrick predicts playoffs for Bengals

Dre Kirkpatrick has never been one to lack confidence, and the Bengals cornerback came through again when he went on the Rich Eisen Show and said, “I see us winning 11 games. That puts us in the playoffs.”

Eisen spoke by phone with Kirkpatrick, and the interview of more than 10 minutes aired Monday on DirecTV.

The former Alabama star shot the breeze on several topics with Eisen. Among other things he said:

# Bengals rookie running back Joe Mixon has, “a chip on his shoulder.”

# Summer practices at Alabama under head coach Nick Saban were much more difficult than NFL training camp practices.

# The Crimson Tide were out-coached in the National Championship Game, in which Clemson beat Alabama in the final moments.

Kirkpatrick declined to answer when Eisen asked how the team would fare in the playoffs, saying, “I don’t want to jinx” anything.