For most of this NFL season, we’ve wondered whether the Cincinnati Bengals still possessed the chops to compete for a Super Bowl. Intermittent injuries to Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins played the biggest role — how on Earth could the Bengals compete without their face of the franchise and second-best playmaker?
On Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, a healthy Burrow and Co. showed they are still a force to be reckoned with. After taking two weeks to rest his formerly ailing calf, Burrow dismantled the San Francisco defense in a 31-17 win to the tune of a 28-of-32, 283-yard, three-touchdown performance. If the 49ers had bothered or flummoxed Burrow at all, the elite quarterback didn’t show any signs.
This development now raises an important question.
Where do we factor the Bengals in? Mind you, we’re not just talking about the AFC North race. Because if Burrow is finally healthy, this impressive Bengals squad is more than capable of another deep playoff run. Everything from Cincinnati’s division to an AFC conference title and Super Bowl is within reach now. It’s hard to argue otherwise when you see the NFL’s other heavyweights messing around every single week.
For example, the Kansas City Chiefs might have too many issues at receiver. Meanwhile, the next time these Miami Dolphins beat a winning opponent will be the first. We’d like to trust the Baltimore Ravens more, but we still need to see more from the Todd Monken offense. Lest we forget, there are also the Philadelphia Eagles, who are seemingly obsessed with playing with their food — no matter who they square off against.
Overall, no one seems capable of consistently playing well.
The Bengals parlayed red-hot second halves into back-to-back AFC title game appearances in each of the last two years. History sure seems like it’s about to repeat itself. The NFL’s one-percent better be on high alert.
Naturally, the Bengals and a healthy Burrow are heavily featured in For The Win‘s Week 9 NFL power rankings.
32
Arizona Cardinals
Last week’s rank: 30
It’s so cool that Josh Dobbs is showing he’s a top-flight backup. Good for him. What a story. What perseverance. But, uh, when does Kyler Murray come back again? — Robert Zeglinski
31
Chicago Bears
Last week’s rank: 29
Tyson Bagent is a fun story, and he’s doing very well for an undrafted rookie who was playing against Slippery Rock at this time last year. But he’s not a starting-caliber quarterback right now, and that’s totally fine. Please let the announce teams covering the Bears know this, as Cris Collinsworth somehow suggested Justin Fields would learn from studying his backup’s game film, and that’s around the time his voice was replaced by a high-pitched whining sound in my ears. — Christian D’Andrea
30
Las Vegas Raiders
Last week’s rank: 31
Josh McDaniels is actively making them worse. The best I can tell, he’s doing it on purpose. Signing Jimmy Garoppolo was part of this plan. — CD
29
Carolina Panthers
Last week’s rank: 32
Sunday was a day of well-earned vindication for the Panthers. Both the first-year head coach and rookie quarterback got their first wins after weeks of frustration. And they did it by beating the quarterback everyone thought they should have drafted. This Carolina team remains atrocious, but it can probably coast on the goodwill of this victory for a little while. — RZ
28
Green Bay Packers
Last week’s rank: 25
Every week that passes by, it’s apparent these are not your grandfather’s or father’s Packers. Jordan Love is a deer stuck in headlights playing like a replacement-level quarterback. At the same time, Matt LaFleur is grasping at straws with a young roster that sometimes brims with promise but mostly fizzles out. If all of this unfixable discord ends with Caleb Wiliams or Drake Maye in the spring, the football gods are obviously Packers fans. For now, welcome to the suck that most NFL fanbases reside in every season, Green Bay. It’s been a while. — RZ
27
New York Giants
Last week’s rank: 27
The unknown guy with the same last name as the guy from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (but no other connection) couldn’t beat the loaded Jets’ defense. Color me shocked. — RZ
26
New England Patriots
Last week’s rank: 26
The fun thing about being part of a group chat with a bunch of Rhode Island dirtbags is that you always know when Mac Jones is [expletive] up. His red-zone interception Sunday sent off a round of “terrible” pings that let me know New England was, in fact, back on its bull[expletive]. But hey, losses are a good thing when you need a new quarterback, and now Bill Belichick has six of them in eight games. — CD
25
Denver Broncos
Last week’s rank: 28
A 15-point win over the Chiefs is a big deal, even if it was very weird. Russell Wilson only threw 19 times for 112 yards but found the end zone three times, so it didn’t matter. Javonte Williams only ran for 3.1 yards per touch, but he generated three first downs in 27 carries, ground the clock down to a nub, and didn’t fumble. A historically lousy defense rose up to keep Kansas City out of the end zone entirely. None of this feels sustainable, but you can’t argue with the result. — CD
24
Indianapolis Colts
Last week’s rank: 24
It’s really simple. Barring some inexplicable happenings to teams above them in the standings, the Colts are playing out a lost season without Anthony Richardson. At the very least, it seems like Shane Steichen is a genuinely elite offensive mind that raises the floor of his players’ performance. The Colts are in good hands because finding the answer at head coach matters. — RZ
23
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last week’s rank: 20
Three straight losses are troubling, and so is a defense that’s given up an average of 400-plus yards in those games. That’s supposed to be Todd Bowles’ forte, but he’s beginning to look overmatched as a head coach. Still, even this diminished version of Baker Mayfield is a pleasant surprise, and the NFC South remains wide open. — CD
22
Washington Commanders
Last week’s rank: 22
The Commanders do two things eminently well: take sacks and give the rival Eagles the fight of their life. If Sam Howell ever develops a consistent pocket presence (and gets a new coach), this budding Washington team will be a fascinating watch. For now, yes, that was a catch, Jahan Dotson. I apologize on behalf of inconsistent catch rules that still make zero sense. — RZ
21
Minnesota Vikings
Last week’s rank: 21
There’s no sugarcoating it. Losing Kirk Cousins absolutely sucks for all parties involved. The 2023 campaign was shaping up to be one of his better seasons as a pro, and now it’s cut short after eight games thanks to a torn Achilles. That’s brutal, and Minnesota doesn’t have a contingency plan in place for a guy who’d only ever missed games thanks to his stark refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Maybe Jaren Hall can surprise us. Maybe the Vikings can find a suitable replacement via trade or free agency. Or maybe they’re screwed. — CD
20
Los Angeles Rams
Last week’s rank: 17
The Rams’ brief period of pluckiness seems over, with Sunday’s blowout loss to Dallas serving as a reality check. An inept (and now injured) Matthew Stafford had zero answer for the Cowboys’ vaunted defense, bookending a recent trend of the veteran sometimes looking fine but mostly not good enough. Los Angeles would be better served looking to the offseason for a desperately needed influx of new talent, but Sean McVay is probably too great of a coach to let the bottom fall out. This is what urgatory looks like in the NFL, albeit if it’s likely only temporary. — RZ
19
Tennessee Titans
Last week’s rank: 23
Will Levis isn’t going to throw four touchdown passes every game, but he brings an explosive presence to the pocket Tennessee has been missing in recent seasons. He’s going to have some terrible moments as teams adjust to his game tape, but he’ll make this offense fun to watch. And after slogging through the last season-plus of forgettable Ryan Tannehill play, that’s a step in the right direction for Titans fans. — CD
18
Pittsburgh Steelers
Last week’s rank: 16
Kenny Pickett’s Week 8 injury pulled him from the field before he could link up with George Pickens for some comeback magic and make us forget about his awful start. That gave Mitchell Trubisky a wonderful chance to remind us all that he’s still Mitchell Trubisky. Pittsburgh has two similarly bad quarterbacks, and it’s killing the Steelers’ chances to be an actual contender in the AFC. — CD
17
Houston Texans
Last week’s rank: 14
It was bound to happen eventually. C.J. Stroud looked like a future franchise quarterback for the better part of two months, but he’s finally hitting the dreaded rookie wall. Sunday was easily the worst performance of the young signal caller’s career, as Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero stymied Stroud with diverse schematic looks that forced Stroud to repeatedly turtle and settle. Houston probably still has a bright future, but it’s got to help Stroud work through this rookie muck known as a “learning curve” first. — RZ
16
Atlanta Falcons
Last week’s rank: 18
This week, I look forward to how Arthur Smith shoehorns in an excuse about fantasy football managers skewing how his middling offense never gets off the ground. — RZ
15
Cleveland Browns
Last week’s rank: 15
The NFL’s middle ground in 2023 is grim. The Jets and Chargers currently rank as top-15 teams, and they’re thoroughly untrustable. So, too, go the Browns, who have a stellar defense and a black hole of production at quarterback, whether it’s P.J. Walker or Deshaun Watson, back on the active roster after more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct and what the NFL itself later described as “predatory behavior” after missing games due to injury. Cleveland has only topped 230 passing yards once this season and has yet to throw for 275-plus. — CD
14
New Orleans Saints
Last week’s rank: 19
The Saints are a funny case study. They play above-average defense. They’ve got solid playmakers. And they’re just … kind of mediocre and mostly benefitting from an ossified group of bottom-feeding squads. The NFC South division title is once again in New Orleans’ crosshairs. I don’t think it’s capable of accomplishing anything else of note. — RZ
13
Los Angeles Chargers
Last week’s rank: 13
Los Angeles’ three wins have come over the Bears, Vikings, and Raiders. This team remains untrustworthy, but outside the top-11 teams, the NFL is a swamp, so … sure, have at it, Justin Herbert. — CD
12
New York Jets
Last week’s rank: 12
I gotta be candid. I don’t know if this team is any good. But the NFL’s middle class has been so completely hollowed out that this iteration of Gang Green, with a dreadful quarterback, is hovering around a playoff berth. We live in uncertain times, dearest readers. — RZ
11
Buffalo Bills
Last week’s rank: 10
Buffalo has to be a buyer at this trade deadline after injuries have taken many of its best defensive players off the field. Will that take the form of secondary and linebacker reinforcements? Or will Sean McDermott supercharge his offense and finally get Stefon Diggs a proper man-coverage beater across from him in the passing game? — CD
10
Jacksonville Jaguars
Last week’s rank: 7
There’s something about Trevor Lawrence and wilting the moment he gets a little wet. On Sunday, in a rainy Pittsburgh, Lawrence did enough to lift Jacksonville but looked strangely shaky while seemingly begging the Steelers’ defense to win the game. Lawrence and pals deserve credit for eking out the win, but it’s worth remembering that a pending postseason gauntlet will likely present more inclement weather. How the Jaguars respond then is something to monitor. — RZ
9
Dallas Cowboys
Last week’s rank: 8
Dallas is 5-2, but its best win came over the Los Angeles Chargers. This would be the kind of weak resume you might be able to overlook if the head coach weren’t Mike McCarthy. — CD
8
Cincinnati Bengals
Last week’s rank: 11
Hoo boy, what a return to full health, Joe Burrow. After taking two weeks to rest his formerly ailing calf, we saw the Burrow of old cut the 49ers up like a skilled surgeon. At one point, the Bengals superstar had completed 19 straight passes. Meanwhile, Lou Anarumo’s defense ran circles around Kyle Shanahan with ease. After languishing in the NFL’s pits for almost two months, the Bengals are finally above .500. They are all healthy and raring to go for yet another scorching hot stretch run to the playoffs. Given that this exact scenario also happened in 2021 and 2022, I can understand feeling déjà vu. — RZ
7
San Francisco 49ers
Last week’s rank: 4
After suffering its third-straight defeat, San Francisco should officially be in crisis mode. This crisis would be easier to solve if we could nail down one singular nagging issue. Without a complete cupboard of superstars in tow, system player Brock Purdy has fallen back to Earth. On defense, a sorry secondary continues to be victimized by any quarterback capable of occasionally completing a forward pass. The 49ers will assuredly be better when Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel return from respective injuries. But it’s becoming clear this is not the complete Super Bowl contender we thought. A quiet trade deadline would not go over well because these 49ers are, in fact, quite fallible. — RZ
6
Seattle Seahawks
Last week’s rank: 9
An early 14-0 lead turned into a late 20-17 deficit at home — against P.J. Walker, no less — but Seattle course-corrected in time to escape with a win. Geno Smith has five interceptions in his last three games and also faded toward the end of his breakthrough 2022 season. It’s not time to worry just yet, especially for a team atop the NFC West, but that’s worth keeping an eye on. — CD
5
Detroit Lions
Last week’s rank: 6
It was against the Dust Bowl deserted farm once known as the Raiders, but the Detroit defense truly played like a swarm of goblins, sacking Jimmy Garoppolo three times in four downs to squelch any chance of a come-from-ahead loss. Jahmyr Gibbs emerging as a drive-extending playmaker will be found money if David Montgomery can return to full strength. — CD
4
Miami Dolphins
Last week’s rank: 5
The Dolphins took care of business against the Patriots, completing a second sweep of their AFC East rivals in three years. This was a foregone conclusion, though. While Miami is undoubtedly an AFC power, it has yet to beat a winning team this season. Eventually, the Dolphins will have to punch and knock out someone who plays at their weight class. — RZ
3
Baltimore Ravens
Last week’s rank: 3
A week after resembling world-beaters, the Ravens had their predictable let-down against a terrible Cardinals team. This was due in large to Lamar Jackson struggling in the passing game (though his receivers weren’t much better). Yet, behind a strong ground effort from Gus Edwards and an opportunistic defense, Baltimore won anyway. Winning “ugly” counts just as much in a long grind of a season — a fact the Ravens can appreciate as they potentially start coasting toward an AFC North title. — RZ
2
Kansas City Chiefs
Last week’s rank: 1
I’m happy giving the Chiefs a mulligan since A) a handful of fellow contenders have looked mortal this month and B) a weird, stupid, pre-bye week loss to an underdog is pretty much canon in the book of Andy Reid at this point (Titans in 2021, Raiders in 2020, Colts in 2019). None of those teams were bad enough to give up 70 points in one win and then hold Kansas City out of the end zone a month later, however. That’s a bit more concerning, especially with this receiving corps. — CD
1
Philadelphia Eagles
Last week’s rank: 2
Kinda a shrug and an “I guesssss” at No. 1, but you can’t argue with the outcomes. Philadelphia’s the only one-loss team left standing, and while those wins have come by closer-than-expected margins, the talent level of this team remains undeniable. The Eagles have been breaking in two new coordinators and are still 7-1. Once they hit their stride, the rest of the NFL is in trouble. — CD
