The Cincinnati Bengals are doing it again.
In past years, the Bengals had a reputation as a team that played down to the competition. That didn’t just shine through during Sunday night’s win over the New York Giants — it has defined the season.
A quick rundown:
- Week 1, the team lost 16-10 to a New England team that is now 1-5 with a minus-60 point differential.
- In Week 2, the Bengals played up to the level of the Chiefs, losing by a single point.
- In Week 3, they played up to a Washington club that is now 4-2 with a plus-33 point differential, same as the Chiefs. They lost by five.
- In Week 4, they cruised against a one-win Panthers team, the lone exception to this idea. Even then, it was a seven-point game until roughly one minute left in regulation.
- In Week 5, they played up to the Ravens in the overtime loss.
Sunday night? They played down to a 2-4 Giants team with a minus-25 point differential. The offense collapsed in the face of a front seven that is the closest thing the Bengals will still see to the Browns and Steelers over four more games this season. And the defense looked better — but the Giants were missing lead running back Devin Singletary and star wideout Malik Nabers.
Yes, the Bengals start slow each season and yes, the defense continues to get healthier. No, they aren’t dead from a playoff standpoint.
And yet, it’s also hard to get encouraged by the idea that the Bengals don’t face a tough schedule the rest of the way (compared to the last few years) when they consistently play to the level of the competition and let teams like the Giants hang around until the final drive. And so far, key mistakes — be it a Joe Burrow fumble or Zac Taylor losing his mind at the controls — have defined their performances against great teams.
The Bengals could always turn around and make this take look foolish in the coming weeks. But what looks like a manageable stretch against Cleveland, Philadelphia and Las Vegas before playing Baltimore again will probably be anything but simple.
Like the head-smackingly silly slow starts to every season under Taylor, the playing to the level of competition is probably here to stay.
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