The Cincinnati Bengals have blown out two bad teams in a row. The Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals both lost by more than three scores to the Bengals.
Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins have shown why they got paid the big bucks by making it all look easy. Running back Chase Brown has also firmly placed himself as a clear weapon that needs accounted for.
The defense has also taken care of two struggling offenses over that span. Even if they still had a relapse or two with terrible tackling.
All of this is quite bittersweet for fans who wished this was showing them heating up at the perfect time, but alas, we wait till next season.
Here is how the win impacted their rankings this week.
CBS Sports — No. 20 up from 21
Joe Burrow and his receivers lit up another defense Sunday, but it doesn’t matter. It’s yet another year of wasted star power on offense.
New York Times — No. 23 down from 22
Cincinnati has now missed the playoffs three straight seasons and will have its first losing season since 2020 under Zac Taylor. The Bengals have won two straight, but there are a lot of coaches around the league secretly hoping that doesn’t save Taylor’s job. Why? Because Joe Burrow at quarterback would immediately make this the most attractive opening on the market. Taylor is now 52-62-1 in his seven seasons.
Sports Illustrated — No. 23 down from 21
Lost season? Maybe. But how much is this film session with Zac Taylor worth to you, where he explains how offensive lineman, Cody Ford, caught a 21-yard pass? I say priceless.
It feels like the past two games have helped ease the pain of missing the playoffs, as the offense has unloaded on its opponents with a barrage of fireworks. Joe Burrow is back to throwing dimes, Chase Brown keeps stacking productive games and even 345-pound Cody Ford is out there logging 21-yard catch-and-runs (16 YAC!). That’s the version of the Bengals we all know and love. It appears Zac Taylor — who seems likely to stick around for a while yet — is effectively doing everything he can to prime Burrow and the big guns for a return to prominence next season. That renewed competitiveness won’t be automatic or assumed, and the Ravens debacle wasn’t that long ago, but it’s a pretty good sign for this team’s health that the Bengals are playing freely and effectively in another lost season.
What we learned this season: The young defenders are turning the corner.Cincinnati is finally getting improved play from young players such as defensive end Myles Murphy and cornerback DJ Turner II. Murphy leads the team with 5.5 sacks and has earned praise from coaches and players for a strong season. Turner, with a Pro Bowl-worthy résumé, is having his best season to date. That is notable for a defense that needs its former top-100 draft picks to perform at a high level. A strong defense is crucial for the Bengals to reopen their championship window. — Ben Baby
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