New power ranking has Bengals near the bottom as training camps begin

The Cincinnati Bengals and rookie head coach Zac Taylor have a far way to go in order to earn the respect of the national media. However, that is to be expected.

That said, the disbelief in the Bengals has continued.

In USA Today’s Touchdown Wire’s most recent power rankings, they give the Bengals the No. 27 spot. While the Bengals may be in the lower half of the league, No. 27 is a rather insulting spot.

Here’s what columnist Doug Farrar said about the Queen City’s beloved Bengals.

“Marvin Lewis will probably never get the credit he deserves for transforming the Bengals from one of the worst-run organizations in the NFL to a team with consistent credibility. That’s what happens when you coach a team for 16 seasons and you never win a playoff game. Lewis was replaced by Zac Taylor, the former Sean McVay assistant who brings expansive ideas to an offense that will struggle to execute them. The offensive line is a real problem, especially after tackle Jonah Williams suffered a season-ending shoulder injury before the first-rounder from Alabama could get his NFL career going. Andy Dalton’s ceiling is made of concrete, and while the hope is that Taylor can do for Dalton what Taylor and McVay did for Jared Goff, it’s a big ask when the front five has this many question marks.”

Taylor will be bringing a new offense to Cincinnati, but with a top offensive arsenal, there’s no reason to believe he can’t put points on the board. There shouldn’t be anything too crazy coming from Taylor’s playbook.

What’s not ideal about Taylor is his lack of head coaching experience. This will be his first big-time chance at the highest level, but if the Bengals give him any part of the same leash they gave Marvin Lewis, he’ll have a few seasons to prove himself.

Overall, the Bengals season may yet again come down to the injury bug. With Preston Brown and A.J. Green healthy, the Bengals will have a roster that could surprise the AFC North.

Sadly, we’ve seen injuries and incompetent depth hurt Cincinnati these past few years. If that repeats this upcoming season, yes, expect the Bengals to be the 27th best team. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen though.