NFL Power Rankings Roundup: Bengals continue free fallin'

Here I am, sitting upon my throne built by black shanty swords and completely ignorant of issues related to our humble home at CJ. There are things being addressed and will be further addressed... such as the resumption of power rankings discussions. Ohmygod, how did we not have this going on? That's my fault. I take the blame. Luckily my passion for power rankings outweighs my overall neglect of them, so let's get to it.

Trivia: What does it take to go from Super Bowl favorite to mid-pack? Apparently two blowouts (against the Patriots and Colts) and one tie (against Carolina). After their 33-7 win over the Tennessee Titans, the Bengals were famously listed as the top team by Sports Illustrated... for the first time ever.

Since then, they've dropped 15 spots to No. 16.

A.J. Green can't get healthy, Vontaze Burfict can't stay healthy and the Bengals couldn't do much of anything on Sunday. Was the 27-0 loss to Indianapolis a low point for a legit contender? Or are Cincinnati's problems, which include 107 points allowed over the past three weeks, merely beginning?

Legitimate question. Those that follow John Locke and the idea of faith, believe it's just a bump in the road. The Jack Shephard followers aren't exactly preachers of faith... only applying what they see and what they see isn't good.

Elliot Harrison at NFL.com ranks the Bengals No. 14.

Seriously. Seriously. Could the Bengals have played any worse? If you closed your eyes and turned the volume off Sunday, you might've sworn David Klingler was out there for Cincy, missing throws to a wide open Harold Green and Jeff Query, while on defense, Dan Wilkinson and Keith Rucker were failing to get to the opposing quarterback.

Me? I'd argue that it was worse. At least during those seasons, we expected suckage. Back then, we scheduled our Sunday afternoon as 1) Bengals at 1 p.m. 2) Chores at 2 p.m. 3) check in for shocking victory at 4 p.m. With this team, attempting to make a fourth-straight postseason berth, it's a bit more disappointing.

ESPN drops Cincinnati two spots to No. 13.

It can't get much worse than a 27-0 Week 7 loss to the Colts that featured eight straight drives without a first down to start the game and a third-down efficiency in the single digits (8 percent).

Yes, yes. We get it. The offense sucked. Most of us were beaten by its brutality as it happened last Sunday. That's like Pete Prisco, in an effort to apply the most ridiculously obvious comment, saying, "What the heck has happened to the defense? And the offense didn't get it done at Indianapolis at all." Prisco ranked the Bengals No. 13.

Fox Sports competes with obvious-galore.

Andy Dalton and the offense had tread water without A.J. Green against a beat-up Panthers defense, but this game proved that his return is desperately needed. The defense imploded.