Bengals power rankings roundup includes a top-10 pick

The Cincinnati Bengals went up to Ford Field and blew out the Detroit Lions, holding them scoreless through three quarters.

On the back of Joe Burrow offensively and Logan Wilson defensively, the Bengals continue to showcase their immense improvements. The Bengals have already tied their win total from a season ago, and it’s only been six games.

On Sunday, the Bengals won 34-11. Burrow had 271 yards and three touchdowns. Joe Mixon chipped in 94 yards on the ground.

The Steelers and Ravens won while the Browns lost who the still-undefeated Cardinals. All four teams in the AFC North have a .500 or better record with Bengals vs. Ravens in Week 7 deciding who will sit atop the division in the short term.

That said, after a dominating win, let’s dive into how the national media views the Bengals continued success.

ESPN — No. 11 - Up from No. 14

Each time Cincinnati’s confidence rating has dropped a little, the Bengals have responded well. The Week 6 win over the Lions was another example of that. Normally, a team with a 4-2 record might actually be a little higher. But the offense is still struggling from early inconsistency. The Bengals had a rough stretch of three straight three-and-outs against the winless Lions and didn’t get the offense corrected until a fourth-and-1 in the third quarter. Until those woes get sorted out, the Bengals are best viewed with cautious optimism. — Ben Baby

NFL — No. 11 - Up from No. 13

For years, it was the Bengals who were the dreadful team that seemingly existed to serve as a soft landing spot in the schedule for contenders. It was almost jarring to watch a game in which Cincinnati was on the other side of that dynamic; Zac Taylor’s team went into Ford Field and outclassed the Lions in a 34-11 win. Joe Burrow tied a career high with three touchdown passes and once again electrified the Bengals’ attack with deep strikes to rookie sensation Ja’Marr Chase. Every elite offense has its own version of the Big 3. The Bengals’ trio of Burrow, Chase and running back Joe Mixon offers enough firepower to overwhelm the opposition. Week 7 brings a huge measuring-stick game against the Ravens.

Sports Illustrated — No. 15

They haven’t taken out any world-beaters, but good teams beat bad teams, and the first six weeks of the season have proven that the Bengals are—at the very least—not one of the bad teams anymore. Joe Burrow is back on track to become a franchise quarterback, but more impressive is the continued emergence of Lou Anarumo’s defense, which continues to be more than the sum of its parts.

The Ringer — No. 11

Yahoo! Sports — No. 12 - Up from No. 15

The contributions of Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd have been inconsistent this season. A lot of that has to do with Ja’Marr Chase being as good as advertised as a rookie. When Boyd and Higgins are needed the Bengals can still depend on them, but right now Chase is the focal point of the passing offense.

Bleacher Report — No. 10 - Up from No. 11 (quoted is excerpt)

We don’t mean to alarm you, but something rather bizarre is going on in the NFL. The Cincinnati Bengals might be good.

NBC Sports — No. 14 - Up from No. 18

The Bengals did just about whatever they wanted against the porous Lions defense. Joe Burrow tossed three touchdown passes in the 34-11 win, a great sight for Cincinnati fans after the second-year QB suffered a scary throat injury last week.

Sporting News — No. 10 - Up from No. 11

Joe Burrow is giving Prescott a run for his money as comeback player of the year with amazing first-half quarterback play. The Bengals are looking dangerous and complete offensively with the defense now feeding off that.

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