Before the season, many seemed to tab the Cincinnati Bengals as a possible fourth-place team in the AFC North while circling the Kansas City Chiefs as Super Bowl contenders in permanent market.
Fast forward to now, the Bengals have the top seed in the AFC and the Chiefs have struggled to a 3-4 start.
It’s a good example of just how quickly things can change in the NFL and a lesson in the cliche that’s why they play the games.
So much so, sportscaster and managing editor of Vegas Sports and Information Network Brent Musburger told Peter King of NBC Sports the Bengals would be favored over the Chiefs in a head-to-head matchup right now:
“If both teams were healthy, and the game was played on a neutral field, who’d be favored—Cincinnati or Kansas City?” I asked.
Pause. “If both teams were completely healthy, Cincinnati would be favored.”
Musburger followed that up with something everyone can agree with: “I’m not sure what surprises me more. The rise of the Bengals or the fall of the Chiefs.”
The rise of the Bengals isn’t too surprising because in today’s NFL, the presence of a top passer makes anything possible. But that’s also what makes the early skid for the Chiefs so surprising — they’ve lost four games (all to would-be contenders) while Patrick Mahomes has thrown nine interceptions, more than he threw in either of his past two seasons and nearing his career-high of 12.
Regardless, everyone will get to see this put to the test because the Chiefs visit the Bengals in Week 17 next January.
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