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The Bengals finally won their first game, but how does that impact their standings in the power rankings this week? Well, Cincinnati actually moved up from the bottom of a few power rankings, but some power rankers are questioning whether a late run would be good for the Bengals.
That dude can come off the roof now. The Bengals delivered a complete effort on both sides of the ball in a 22-6 win over the Jets. Cincinnati will not join the 2008 Lions and 2016 Browns in NFL infamy. Phew. Andy Dalton returned from an unearned benching and provided a legitimate spark, picking apart a Jets secondary that had been playing well in recent weeks. Dalton’s final numbers would look even better if not for a pair of end-zone drops in the first half. While Dalton starred for the offense, Carlos Dunlap led the defense in a dominating day. The veteran defensive end finished with three of the Bengals’ four sacks, and Cincinnati held New York to just 271 total yards. The cherry on top of the day? The Redskins also won, keeping the Bengals on the inside track for the No. 1 overall pick.
Between a few offseason departures and the situation involving tackle Cordy Glenn, Turner’s offensive line has been the subject of criticism at times this season. The Bengals’ rushing attack has also struggled as the line lacked continuity at the beginning of the season. Still, Turner likely won’t receive enough heat for coach Zac Taylor to make a change. The two men have strong ties and worked together with the Dolphins and the University of Cincinnati.
Bleacher Report: 32 (Last week 32)
After 11 weeks of misery, mistakes and all-around moribund performances, the Cincinnati Bengals finally got in the win column Sunday against the New York Jets. After watching rookie Ryan Finley bumble around the field for several weeks, the Bengals turned back to veteran Andy Dalton at quarterback in Week 13. Dalton played relatively well, passing for 243 yards and a score that set the franchise record for touchdown passes.
Sports Illustrated: 31 (Last week 32)
The Bengals’ failure brought them back to the man they inexplicably benched, and Andy Dalton began his audition for a new landing spot with a tidy afternoon (22-of-37, 243 yards, 1 TD) that both boosted his stock and lessened the breathing room for his soon-to-be-former team in the race for the No. 1 pick.
Yahoo Sports: 32 (Last week 32)
Sunday had to be great for Andy Dalton, getting his job back and leading the Bengals to their first win. Dalton’s time with the Bengals is probably almost done, but his last big contribution can be saving Cincinnati from 0-16.
They won a game, but they still have the worst record, which is a good thing. Was playing Andy Dalton a good thing since they won?
Washington Post: 31 (Last week 32)
Okay, the Bengals got a victory and avoided the ignominy of a winless season. So is that enough to sit down Andy Dalton again and get back to the business at hand of finding out if Ryan Finley can get any better?
The Bengals actually moved up in a couple of rankings, which isn’t something that seemed possible. They absolutely earned it, though. Zac Taylor’s squad looked like a team we haven’t seen all season against the Jets. We have seen games where the offense and defense just can’t click at the same time, but on Sunday they were both firing on all cylinders.
There is no reason to think that the Bengals will have some meteoric rise to end the season, but it is nice not to be the consensus worst team in the league.