Week 2 NFL Power Rankings Roundup - Bengals Edition

[jj22]

ESPN

Quote:24. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
Preseason ranking: 28
Top rookie: WR Ja'Marr Chase

Chase put his preseason drops behind him with a game-changing performance against the Vikings. He caught five passes for 101 yards, the most by a Bengals rookie in a season opener. Chase didn't drop a single target and showed how he can help the offense find bigger plays in the passing game. He beat his man down the right sideline and snagged a 50-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Burrow right before halftime. It's that playmaking ability the Bengals wanted when they drafted Chase with the fifth overall pick in April. -- Ben Baby

Bleacher Report

Quote:Last Week: 25
Week 1 Result: Won vs. Minnesota 27-24 (OT)

If the Cincinnati Bengals entered the 2021 season with optimism, it was of the guarded variety. How would quarterback Joe Burrow look in his return from an ACL tear? Could the revamped offensive line give Burrow more protection? Could Cincy's defense get stops when it needed to?

So far, so good.

Burrow was sharp in his first game action of 2021, completing 20 of 27 passes for 261 yards and two scores. Running back Joe Mixon had a day, putting up 127 yards and a score on the ground. Rookie Ja'Marr Chase caught five passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in his professional debut.

However, it wasn't all sunshine and puppies. Burrow was sacked five times and hit seven times. The Bengals allowed over 400 yards of offense and blew a double-digit lead in the second half.

In other words, there is plenty to tighten up ahead of a two-game road trip to Chicago and Pittsburgh. But Gagnon feels the team is headed in the right direction.

"The Bengals are going to do some damage and at least play spoiler on a few occasions this season," he said. "That offense really is loaded, and the defense has more talent than it is given credit for. They've now won, tied or been within a single score in eight of the 10 games Joe Burrow has started and finished."

Sporting News

Quote:16. Cincinnati Bengals 1-0 (16)

The Bengals unleashed their true exciting offense around Joe Burrow, which got Zac Taylor on the board with a key opening win over the Vikings. The defense will be a roller coaster but it has enough playmakers for timely support. Don't be surprised if the AFC North joins the NFC West with four winning teams for the season.

NFL.com

Quote:Previous rank: No. 30
After a summer dotted with foreboding news on multiple fronts, the Bengals opened their season with a feel-good home win over the Vikings that restores hope in Western Ohio. Joe Burrow played extremely well in his return from reconstructive knee surgery, while first-round pick Ja'Marr Chase reminded us that a thousand critical notebook ledes in July can evaporate with one productive afternoon in September. Then there's coach Zac Taylor, whose bold fourth-and-inches call in overtime led to the 32-yard C.J. Uzomah reception that set up the win. "Ballsy," Uzomah said of his coach's decision. "I have to say, that's some big cojones there by him." These Bengals could be fun!

CBS Sports

Quote:That was a big overtime victory over the Vikings for this young group. The fears about Joe Burrow are now alleviated after he played well in his first real game back from a torn ACL.

SI.com

Quote:28. Cincinnati Bengals (1–0)
Last week: Win vs. Minnesota, 27–24
Next week: at Chicago
Joe Burrow is, in a football sense, nothing short of heroic, coming back after his catastrophic knee injury behind an equally patchwork offensive line and dealing Minnesota an upset loss in the season opener. Burrow was clobbered again, sacked another five times and hit seven but Zac Taylor may be able to scrape something by offensively if the running game continues to hum. The long touchdown to Ja’Marr Chase not only dispelled the ridiculous notion that the draft’s best receiver forgot how to catch, but showed what the 2020 No. 1 pick could do from a clean pocket.

Yahoo Sports

Quote:24. Cincinnati Bengals, 1-0
Joe Burrow suddenly has some help with Ja'Marr Chase and it wouldn't be too surprising to see Cincinnati sitting at 2-0 after a trip to Chicago.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

28 is way too low, 16 is probably too high.

[BigPapaKain]

(09-15-2021, 10:00 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 28 is way too low, 16 is probably too high.

That's a fair assessment. 

I mean based on record alone we're better than 16 other teams, but some of those 16 teams would stomp a mud hole in Cincy and walk it dry (looking at Cleveland taking to KC most of that game).

I'd say we're close to 18-22ish, and that's my optimism shining through.

[*pally*]

The Athletic

Quote:24. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
Previous rank: 28

Week 1 result: Beat the Vikings, 27-24 (OT)

Overreaction: No reason to worry about Ja’Marr Chase! His hands are fine! Don’t we all look silly now for stressing about whether the No. 5 pick (and the first wide receiver selected) in this draft class could catch? Chase had five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown in his regular-season debut. — Jones

Reality check: They did still give up five sacks, and Minnesota ranked 28th in sacks last season, so you still fear a little for Joe Burrow’s life. Seeing him go 20-for-27 for 261 yards and zero turnovers is a promising return. — Auman

[*bengalfan74*]

I think we can see the light at the end of the tunnel but it's a long tunnel. 20th probably about right.