Bengals Banter: Power Rankings, and the Bengals Actually Play This Week

So after a week off and me completely forgetting that it's football season, the Bengals are actually doing something this weekend, so I have something interesting to do for you guys on Wednesday morning. Without further ado, here are some quite varied pop-ups of "Cincinnati Bengals" in the news.

• Power rankings! ESPN leaves the Bengals at number 6. That's, of course, going to change after the next two weeks. After we beat the Steelers and Ravens, we'll be 3 or 4. Heh. Michael Silver also leaves the Bengals at 6, wondering if Hard Knocks is going to turn into one of the first blessings (rather than curses) in sports.
  
• Big Willie Anderson talked to Mr. Hobson at Bengals.com about the upcoming Bengals-Ravens game. I really miss that guy.
• Some guy (TJ Jenkins) tries to defend Hines Ward as a clean, legitimate, not dirty football player in the face of a 296 player poll that voted Ward the dirtiest player in the NFL. I think it's hilarious, and that guy is clearly in denial. 
• A couple of predictions on this week's game. First up, Sports Odds breaks down the various gambling components of the game. The Ravens are -3 favorites, which is good, because the Bengals are undefeated as underdogs. Bleacher Report highlights the Bengals-Ravens game in its Week 9 WhatIfSports.com simulation explanation. 
• Dayton Daily News has news on a tight end not named Foschi or Coats! Our boy Coffman apparently is "making progress," whatever that means, says Carlos Holmes.