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The Cincinnati Bengals Player Power-Rankings is a weekly ranking system that not only figures the best players on the team, but those playing the best. Players who are injured and inactive, take huge hits largely because they are not able to contribute. This week, the Bengals clinched their first back-to-back playoff birth since 1981-82. The top five players on this list all made big plays when the team needed them.
|
Rank |
Player |
Last Week |
Change |
Notes |
|
1 |
Geno Atkins |
1 |
-- |
AFC Defensive Player or the Week performance for the Bengals best player. |
|
2 |
A.J. Green |
2 |
-- |
Green was sloppy for most of the game; dropped passes and a fumble, but cam through towards the end to help win the game in regulation. |
|
3 |
Andre Smith |
3 |
-- |
Andre Smith had a nice rebound from the previous week. |
|
4 |
Leon Hall |
4 |
-- |
Hall is playing great as of late. I really enjoy watching him play; perfect technique and good anticipation. |
|
5 |
Reggie Nelson |
9 |
+3 |
Nelson has been a difference-maker since returning to the lineup. His interception will be a play in Bengals history. |
|
6 |
Andrew Whitworth |
6 |
-- |
Whitworth usually shuts down Harrison and last week was no different. |
|
7 |
Andy Dalton |
7 |
-- |
Dalton was terrible on anything deep last week until the game was on the line and they had one play to set the team up in field goal range. |
|
8 |
Kevin Zeitler |
5 |
-3 |
Zeitler's last few weeks have been average. He's probably had more missed blocks the last three weeks than the entire season. Not a liability, but not dominating like he did for a stretch. |
|
9 |
Adam Jones |
8 |
-1 |
Besides the double-move TD, Pacman had a pretty good game again. That punt return would've set the team up early. |
|
10 |
Michael Johnson |
13 |
+3 |
One of Johnson's best days all-around (Run & Pass). |
|
11 |
Jermaine Gresham |
10 |
-1 |
Gresham could've had a bigger day if Dalton would've seen him or delivered it better on a few plays. |
|
12 |
Carlos Dunlap |
11 |
-1 |
Dunlap went unnoticed for much of the game. As always, he still flashed on a few snaps. |
|
13 |
Vontaze Burfict |
14 |
+1 |
Very sound day for Burfict in coverage and against the run. |
|
14 |
Andrew Hawkins |
15 |
+1 |
It's time to get Jason Allen out of Hawkins' special teams snaps. Is that why they claimed another slot WR? |
|
15 |
BenJarvus Green-Ellis |
12 |
-3 |
His lack of creativity before and after the line of scrimmage was all too apparent last week. |
|
16 |
Rey Maualuga |
16 |
-- |
Interestingly up-and-down day for Maualuga. I thought he was better against the pass than he was the run. |
|
17 |
Clint Boling |
17 |
-- |
Boling didn't get murdered like he did the previous two weeks, but he didn't look back to normal either. Keep an eye on it. |
|
18 |
Terrence Newman |
18 |
-- |
Another really good game for Newman. I can't remember the last time he really got worked all game. |
|
19 |
Chris Crocker |
20 |
+1 |
Crocker was reading Ben's eyes all game and forcing him to look elsewhere or scramble. Really fun to watch on All-22. |
|
20 |
Domata Peko |
19 |
-1 |
Peko got moved around way to much for being the most used DT on the defense. |
Just Missed the Cut: Marvin Jones, Kyle Cook, Kevin Huber, Pat Sims, Josh Brown.