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The Bengals failed to show up in one of their most important games this season. They had a chance to reach .500 before playing three struggling teams in a row, but instead the Bengals lost to the Jaguars in an unwatchable 23-7 game.
This had an obvious effect on this week’s power rankings as they fell deep into the bottom half of the league. Two outlets that previously had the Bengals ranked in the teens dropped them ten spots after the loss.
It is hard to argue with the Bengals standing after the team failed to really show up in all three phases of the game again this week. At least A.J. Green won his fight against Jalen Ramsey and managed to not get suspended for it.
The Bengals were held to one or fewer touchdowns for the third time this season last week. They've scored more than two offensive touchdowns just once this season, and it was against the Browns. The Bengals have seen just a slight dip from the preseason ranking, and the offense is to thank for that.
The Bengals avoided an A.J. Green suspension, which is obviously huge for them. It would also be nice if top-10 pick John Ross showed up. He was a healthy scratch Sunday. He has one touch this season, on a 12-yard run, and he fumbled. It’s not like the Bengals have so many offensive stars that Ross can’t get on the field. It’s concerning.
WR A.J. Green should have been suspended for his on-field attack of the Jaguars’ Jalen Ramsey. Almost all of the fighting done in that altercation was done by Green. And his actions were probably more egregious than those of the Buccaneers’ Mike Evans, who was suspended by the league for a game in a separate incident.
The Cincinnati Bengals continue to underachieve despite having a boatload of talent on the roster. The defense is still effective on all three levels, but it isn't quite elite. The big problem with Cincinnati is the offense. It's far too basic, and it lacks the kind of playmakers needed to succeed with a simple scheme. A.J. Green is a top-tier pass-catcher, but when the Bengals cannot get the ball into his hands, they struggle to produce big plays.
They are basically playing for next year, which means changes are probably coming. Is Marvin Lewis coming to the end?
These Bengals scarcely resemble the squad that was one of the AFC's elite a couple of seasons ago -- or the team that made the postseason in five straight years. It's almost as if, ever since the implosion on that Saturday night in January of 2016, Marvin Lewis' team has been locked in a tailspin that can't be reversed. The Bengals are 9-14-1 since that dreadful loss to the Steelers. Of course, the main takeaway from Sunday was that Joe Mixon's rendition of Le'Veon Bell is limited solely to dress, not play. Oh, and what got the chill A.J. Green so fired up that he was throwing haymakers at Jalen Ramsey? Maybe Ramsey called Green a dipstick.
NFL Week 10 Power Rankings
Site | This Week | Last Week | Difference |
---|---|---|---|
Site | This Week | Last Week | Difference |
ESPN | 25 | 20 | 5- |
CBS | 25 | 23 | 2- |
NFL.com | 27 | 24 | 3- |
SB Nation | 22 | 21 | 1- |
Yahoo | 23 | 23 | 0 |
Washington Post | 27 | 17 | 10- |
Bleacher Report | 25 | 15 | 10- |
Average | 24.85714286 | 20.42857143 |