Where the Bengals sit in NFL power rankings entering Week 11
Another heartbreaking shootout loss to the Baltimore Ravens left the Cincinnati Bengals at 4-6. The good news is almost every other team they are competing with for the last playoff spot lost.
For now, let's see if the media power rankings at least has the Bengals near the middle of the pack or in the top 20.
USA Today
Current rank: 15
Last week's rank: 18
What Nate Davis had to say: “WR Ja'Marr Chase is the only player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to have multiple games with at least 250 receiving yards and two TDs. Cincy is 1-1 in those contests.”
Pro Football Talk
Current rank: 18
Last week's rank: 18
What Mike Florio had to say: “As playoff hopes go, Sunday’s losses by the likes of the Colts and Broncos balanced out the disappointing loss to the Ravens."
ESPN NFL Nation
Current rank: 19
Last week's rank: 17
What Ben Baby had to say: "Chase is having his best year yet, which is saying something considering he has been a Pro Bowler in all three of his NFL seasons. He leads the league in receiving yards (981), receiving touchdowns (10) and yards after the catch (451). If Chase averages 140.6 yards over the final seven games of the regular season, he'll break the NFL single-season record set by Calvin Johnson in 2012. For a team that must be built around him and quarterback Joe Burrow moving forward, the pairing is setting a very strong foundation.”
ESPN's writers were asked to name each team's non-quarterback MVP to this point.
NFL.com
Current rank: 18
Last week's rank: 20
What Eric Edholm had to say: “Thursday's crushing loss -- in which a 14-point lead evaporated, along with a chance for the Bengals to reach .500 -- left a mark that likely is still smarting. It makes the sledding awfully tough and the odds long; they likely need a win at the Chargers next week to feel at all good about their playoff chances. Joe Burrow is having a phenomenal season, even with Tee Higgins missing five games so far, but this team insists on being its own worst enemy at times. Chase Brown's fumble woke up a lifeless M&T Bank Stadium and opened the door for the Ravens to come back. Cam Taylor-Britt missed a tackle on Tylan Wallace's 84-yard TD, then failed to haul in what would have been a critical interception of Lamar Jackson when the Bengals badly needed a stop late. Every loss has included at least two or three of these kinds of back-breaking moments.”
Yahoo Sports
Current rank: 16
Last week's rank: 16
What Frank Schwab had to say: “What happened to Lou Anarumo’s defense? A few years ago he was the hot defensive coordinator in the NFL. Now he runs a defense that contributed to Cincinnati going 0-2 vs. Baltimore this season despite Joe Burrow throwing for 820 yards and nine touchdowns in those two games."
CBS Sports
Current rank: 16
Last week's rank: 17
What Pete Prisco had to say: “They are the best 4-6 team this league has seen in a long time. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase are special. But they must win the next two against the Chargers and Steelers to have a playoff chance.”
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Where the Bengals sit in NFL power rankings entering Week 11