ProFootballTalk - 8. Bengals (5-3, No. 11): They might not lose another one.

ESPN - 7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)

Week 9 ranking: 11

Non-QB MVP: DE Trey Hendrickson

Hendrickson is one of the league's most disruptive defensive linemen. He ranks 11th in pass rush win rate as an edge rusher (ESPN/NFL Next Gen Stats). According to ESPN tracking data, Hendrickson has created 9 sacks (fifth most among defenders), 19 incompletions (third most) and 2 interceptions this season. When he gets a first pressure, opponents are completing just 18.2% of their pass attempts. -- Ben Baby

The Athletic - 5. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)
(Last week: 8)

Sunday: Beat Buffalo Bills 24-18

Report card: A-minus

Cincinnati has won four in a row and has beaten the 49ers and Bills in the last two weeks. Since Week 5, Joe Burrow leads the NFL in completion percentage (75.8), is third in offensive EPA per dropback (.15) and has 10 touchdowns against two interceptions. Getting Tee Higgins unlocked Sunday night, with a season-high 110 yards, feels like a notable development for this team.

USA Today - 6. Bengals (10): "(W)e're back, and we’re here," said WR Tee Higgins after Sunday night's big win, Cincinnati's fourth straight victory overall and sixth in a row at home in prime time (a team record). Unfortunately, no more (scheduled) home dates under the lights this season.

Yahoo - 8. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3, LW: 10)

The Bengals used September as their preseason and now they’re fine. They should continue to get better as Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins get healthier. The only problem might be that the Bengals allowed a fantastic Ravens team to get out to a significant lead in the AFC North race while they figured things out.

CBS Sports - 5 BENGAL 5-3-0

Joe Burrow is back. He picked apart the Bills on Monday night, but it's how he moved that tells us he's healthy again. The slow start seems like a long time ago.

Bleacher Report - 5 Last Week: 9

Week 9 Result: Won vs. Buffalo 24-18

Look out, AFC—Joe Cool is back.

After struggling earlier in the season while nursing a calf injury, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has looked more like himself the past two games—and the results have been wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills that have the Bengals once again looking the part of a Super Bowl contender in the AFC.

After torching the Bills for almost 350 yards and two scores without an interception, Burrow talked up his team's performance over the past two weeks—while also allowing that there's a long way to go before any celebrating can begin.

"We're coming along," Burrow said. "We've played well the last couple of weeks and we have to keep it going. We were 1-0 this week. We have to be 1-0 next week, too. This is only game [No.] 8. We've got nine games left."

Cincinnati's early struggles put the team in something of a hole—it lost to the rival Browns and Ravens the first two weeks of the season. But in two weeks the Bengals will get a shot at redemption against the Ravens, and provided they take care of the Texans in Week 10, a win over Baltimore would at worst have them tied in the loss column for the division lead.

Whats up with him? I know he was coming off an injury but that was weeks ago. He seems like a shell of his former rising self from the last 2 yrs.
To go deep into playoffs we will need him back to his former self. We need a good rotation and depth heading into playoffs

I can't say I'm "worried" about this defense, but I think it's worth talking about.

This defense has been good, but they haven't been "good" in the traditional sense. A BIG part of why they are good is because of turnovers, and red zone turnovers at that.

They are currently in the bottom 5 of the league in pass and rush yards given up per game. They are also in the bottom 1/4 of the league in total yards given up per game. Statistically, they aren't as good as they were last year where they hovered right around league average in yards given up per game.

Now they are only giving up 20 points per game this year compared to 20 last year, so that is about the same. The big reason for giving up such a low number of points is because of those red zone turnovers, though.

I am just wondering how sustainable this "bend don't break" style of defense is going to be. IMO -a lot of those red zone turnovers are as much luck as they are "players making plays". I just hope we can tighten up our defense overall and not have to rely on turnovers to stop teams from scoring...because it will eventually catch up.

This could be a trap game where the Bengals in the past lose a game where they are expecting a win.

I don't think so this time, the fact that we are currently in last place and are the hunters and not the hunted somewhat spells dividends.

I look for both teams to score often with the Bengals on top.

Bengals 35
Texans 28

P.S. I have both Stroud and Dell on my fantasy football team where I picked them both up on waivers a few weeks ago.

Currently, Burrow's ranked 6th for MVP voting and I think that's because of such a slow start, but will the voters take into consideration that Burrow was injured at the start and has been destroying the league since then?

What will it take for Burrow to win?

Do we need to win out?

Do we need to just make the playoffs?

Does Burrow need to have an amazing rest of the year?

Does he have any realistic chance? What needs to happen?

@pauldehnerjr
·
1m
#Bengals Ja'Marr Chase making it sound like his back injury will be something worth monitoring. Concerned tone, to be certain, from him.

"I’m just going to support my teammates, man. Let those guys do what they got to do. Only thing I can do is get healthy for the team."

Ja’Marr Chase: “"I fell on my back. As for right now, that's all I know, for real. "Pretty sore just moving around."

“All I can do is protect the team and get healthy."

Chase: “More spine. Middle of everything. More cautious on it. I’m good.”


I thought he may of got hurt on that 60 yard pass... walked off very slow. Did play the rest of the game but this is concerning...

Bengals are tied for the 2nd longest win streak behind the jags with Baltimore and Minnesota.

Burrow is playing at an MVP level.
Defense is playing MUCH better with the offense playing better. This is complimentary football.
Bengals just beat two teams that are perennial contenders.
On offense, the bengals have not yet put it all together.

Some blow up games are coming 40+ pts….
The offensive line continues to be good enough.
Burrows scrambling ability is up there with the best in the league.

This team is figuring it out, quickly, and the peak isn’t here yet.

If you look around the league, I believe the bengals are the most well rounded and healthy team heading into the second half of the season.

I feel bad though...for once I can't vote for him. CJ Stroud deserves the award 470 yards and 5 touchdowns. Joe can win it week 10 by beating Stroud

https://www.nfl.com/voting/air-and-ground/

It's fun to look ahead...

11 wins last year would have won the division...the Bengals won 12. Does 11 wins do it this year? With the Ravens sitting there at 7-2 (and every other team at 5-3), I am thinking not. I think 12 does it.

Right now the Bengals have 5 wins. We likely need 7 more to win the division. Where do you see the wins?

Texans
@Ravens
Steelers
@Jags
Colts
Vikings
@Steelers
@Chiefs
Browns

I have bolded the games I count on as wins. That leaves 5 of the unbolded as "toss ups". We would need to win 3 of the 5 toss ups...essentially we can't lose more than twice in the remaining season.

What do you all think about the road ahead?

I wanted to title this the I Eat Crow TE thread....It was great seeing this team finally tap into this option last night and I had to squint my eyes a few times watching Drew Sample actually make a decent TD reception and our much maligned Irv make plays and a great TD catch as well. Also, the best of them all ...Tanner Hudson who if he adds some bulk and continues to improve maybe a find for us. It almost looked like the Bengals and the TE room have been reading alot of the criticism.
Collinsworth had an interesting take on Hudson on being like Kelce as they both used to be QBs and understand the pass routes and where to get open.
Prediction: Tanner will be dating Taylor Swift by week 17 just in time for playoff showdown with KC.