Just when the Cincinnati Bengals looked to be regaining major ground in the power rankings after their first win of the season, the loss to the Tennessee Titans has them falling further than ever.
After having the Bengals as a near-top 10 team, that loss to the Titans has USA Today’s Nate Davis shoving them way down the board:
26. Bengals (11): At $55 million annually, Joe Burrow is the league’s highest-paid player. His 69.1 passer rating after Sunday was also the lowest among non-rookie quarterbacks. Cincinnati is one of two teams without a TD before halftime this season.
At this point the ranking is fair game, obviously, though hitting Burrow too much for his salary while he tries to play through an injury might not be.
Burrow is holding the offense back, yes, but as Taylor Lewan pointed out recently — as have endless droves of fans — the play-calling and scheme from head coach Zac Taylor and the staff might just be the biggest culprit.
But hey, that’s what the Bengals must figure out and address before the season is lost for good. It’s on the edge, with a game against Arizona in Week 5 a must-win scenario now.
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