Anybody who deluded themselves into thinking that the Cincinnati Bengals would be laying down this year was provided with a rude reminder this weekend. While they were only facing the Arizona Cardinals with a banged-up offense, the two-time defending AFC North champions looked much more like their old selves the last time out.
And no surprise, that was largely due to Pro Bowl QB Joe Burrow playing much closer to his usual level after working his way back from a calf injury. He aggravated it a couple weeks ago, yet has played through it, and clearly looked his most comfortable on Sunday.
He completed 36-of-46 pass attempts for 317 yards and three touchdowns, all of which went to his favorite target, WR Ja’Marr Chase. The latter set the Bengals franchise record with 15 receptions in the game, going for 192 yards and the aforementioned three scores.
“It shows us who we really are”, he told reporters after the win, via the team’s website. “We already knew what we were capable of from the jump. We’ve definitely faced adversity from the jump, and right now we’re just getting that wagon going again and moving forward”.
Cincinnati began the season 0-2 before winning one and then dropping another. They could have started out 1-4 with a loss against the Cardinals, which would have felt like a virtual death knell for the season. Yet now they are only one game back in the division at 2-3 and looking up at the 3-2 Steelers and Ravens, the latter handed just their second loss Sunday in Pittsburgh.
“We’re just a very great team when we have great play calling”, Chase said. “Receivers did an outstanding job on assignments today. Offensive line did great up front in giving Joe time to throw the ball today and we looked good out there”.
After being held to under 20 points in three of the first four games, the offense exploded for 34 points against the Cardinals, more characteristic of the potential the Bengals have shown over the previous two season. And even the 20 points allowed by the defense was the second-lowest total of the year.
Up next is the Seattle Seahawks in Cincinnati before they get to hit their bye week. I would expect that Burrow should be about as healthy by then as he is going to be. And they still have four divisional games left to play, including two against the Steelers.
But they also still have to play the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as a rising Houston Texans team, outside of their divisional games. The Buffalo Bills can still be formidable despite their injuries, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are now sitting at 3-2.
This year is about the closest that we have seen the AFC North from top to bottom—perhaps ever. And yet it could be the top team that is currently on the bottom. The question is if the Bengals’ shovel is big enough to dig themselves out of the hole they put themselves in to begin the year.
