The Cincinnati Bengals are back. Well, maybe not back, but at least they are moving in the right direction.
After an impressive 32-14 win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals moved up to No. 22 in the latest ESPN NFL Power Rankings, up from No. 25 just over a week ago. Pro Football & Sports Network had Cincinnati at No. 17, its highest ranking since week two of the regular season.
At least one publication, TWSN, now gives the Bengals the inside track to the AFC Division title after Cincinnati, whose much-maligned defense forced five turnovers, snapped the Ravens’ five-game win streak.
None of this will matter unless the Bengals can manage to slip into the playoffs, which will probably require victories in at least four of their remaining five games. And it is not going to be easy.
Cincinnati, which improved to 4-8 with its win over the Ravens, has a difficult road ahead, starting with Sunday afternoon’s trip to Buffalo. The Bills currently stand at 8-4 and have moved up to No. 9 in ESPN’s latest Power Rankings.
Next up is the follow-up game against the Ravens, this time in Cincinnati. The Bengals have not beaten Baltimore twice in the same season since their Super Bowl Season of 2021. The Ravens fell to No. 19 in the Power Rankings after their initial loss to Cincinnati.
Cincinnati finishes the season with games at Miami (5-7, No. 20), and at home against Arizona (3-9, No. 26) and Cleveland (3-9. No. 27). That final game will likely feature Deshaun Watson back under center for the Browns. Cleveland currently boasts the No. 2 defense in the NFL.
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