The Bengals suffered a frustrating Week 1 loss, and it impacted their national image
The Cincinnati Bengals had many opportunities to win the game Sunday, but they ended up losing — at home to one of the worst teams in the NFL. That’s pretty typical for a Bengals start to the season, although certainly not ideal.
This team doesn’t always start hot, but the talent is there to make a deep playoff run. That said, the Bengals lost 16-10 as Joe Burrow went 21-of-29 for 164. Zack Moss scored the team’s lone touchdown of the game and ended with a team-high 44 rushing yards.
With that, let’s dive into how the power rankings from national media now view Cincinnati.
Yahoo! Sports — No. 25
Go and try to explain the Bengals coming up absolutely empty against a New England team that was poor last season, and expected to be last in the AFC East in 2024.
ESPN — No. 14
There weren’t a ton of newcomers to choose from in one of the more befuddling Bengals losses in recent memory. But Moss, a veteran who signed in free agency to replace Joe Mixon, scored the team’s only touchdown. He had nine carries for 44 yards and a score that kept Cincinnati in striking distance throughout the second half. OC Dan Pitcher called Moss an all-around back, and his usage suggested that was the case. He played 65% of the team’s offensive snaps and will continue in a key role for a unit that needs to improve going forward. — Ben Baby
Sports Illustrated (based on Super Bowl odds) — No. 10
Let’s not sugercoat it: The Bengals looked awful in their Week 1 loss against the New England Patriots.
Tee Higgins did miss this game with a hamstring injury, but Cincy cost itself what should have been an easy win (the Bengals were favored by eight points) in Week 1.
FanSided — No. 20
What a disastrous way to start the season for the Cincinnati Bengals. This team has been notorious for starting slow but, with Joe Burrow getting a full training camp in, albeit with some guardrails to make sure his health and recovery were going along properly, you expected more than what they showed, and certainly expected them to at least beat the Patriots.
USA Today — No. 14
The pair of fumbles Sunday matched their total for the 2023 season. But far more important, this team needs to figure out WR Ja’Marr Chase’s contractual situation – especially with a visit to the rested Chiefs coming up.
Sporting News — No. 14
What was that? The Bengals once again looked bad early in an opener against the big underdog Patriots with issues up front on both sides. Joe Burrow can’t afford to put his team in too big of a hole, and it gets much tougher with the Chiefs in Kansas City in Week 2.
Pro Football Network — No. 13 (excerpt taken)
There’s an argument to be made that the Bengals should rank lower than 13th after Week 1. The Bengals lost in embarrassing fashion against the Patriots, as Cincinnati had no answer for New England’s rushing attack.
