A mini Delorean built by "Doc" Brown for Jeremy Hill: It has been a mostly forgettable year for the Cincinnati Bengals running back, who has had a subpar second season. His 3.3 yards-per-carry average isn't close to matching the 5.1 average he posted last season. As the Bengals try to get back on track after two consecutive losses, they will need Hill to tap back into the rookie version of himself. They need him to go "Back to the Future." Sure, his seven rushing scores are the second-most in the league. Six have come from inside the opposing 10-yard line. Since he has been at least getting in the end zone, he doesn't need one of Brown's full-sized, can-go-decades-backward-and-forward Delorean time machines. He needs one that will take him back only one year, so he can play exactly how he did down the stretch in 2014.

A two-way walkie-talkie for the secondary: Exactly 10 percent of the Bengals' defensive plays this season have resulted in explosive gains for the offense. Of the 620 snaps Bengals defenders have played, 62 have ended after offensive players picked up 15 yards or more. Of those 62 plays, 11 have ended with the offense scoring a touchdown. Missed tackles have allowed some of the big gains to happen, but miscommunication in the secondary has led to many of the more explosive scores. Blown assignments on the back end have led to long touchdown passes by San Diego, Seattle and Arizona last Sunday night. So this Black Friday, the Bengals want to make sure they put walkie-talkies for the safeties and cornerbacks on their list.

A rabbit's foot, a bag of four-leaf clovers and a horseshoe: Every team probably wants at least one of these good-luck charms this time of year, but the Bengals will want all three as they try to finish what started out as a special season. Yes, they still have some things left to prove after dropping two straight, but it is clear they will be back in the postseason. When they get there, they ought to be concerned with only one thing: winning. Even one playoff win will appease the masses in Cincinnati after six straight first-round letdowns. This season, the Bengals will take all the playoff luck they can get.