Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Cincinnati Bengals Week 5 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2023 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Below you will find a Week 5 roundup for the Cincinnati Bengals in our consensus 2023 NFL Power Rankings.

ESPN -- Rank: 25

Biggest issue on defense: Run defense

Cincinnati's rushing defense is the worst it has been in years. The Bengals have allowed the second-most rushing yards (280) in the NFL this season. Cincinnati's 5.1 yards allowed per carry matches its highest total in the past five years. Cincinnati had 12 missed tackles against the Titans, per defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Bengals DT DJ Reader on being better tacklers: "You have to want to do it. Sometimes guys don't want to do it. You have bad technique and that's a product of you not wanting to do it that play." -- Ben Baby

NFL.com -- Rank: 20

You're free to be worried now. I am. We were anesthetized to believe that middling home showings in Weeks 2 and 3 were evidence this team was pulling out of its slump, which led to me putting them at -- gulp! -- No. 11 last week. But no, things aren't good, not after a beatdown from a Titans team that looked rather ordinary previously. Sunday brought everything back to the starting line -- and at 1-3, Cincy actually has given every division rival at least a one-game head start. Do you currently trust any element of this Bengals operation, including and starting with a beat-up Joe Burrow? The 2022 Bengals averaged almost three TDs per game. This year, they have three offensive TDs in four games.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 23

At 1-3, their season is hanging in the balance right now. The offense was non-existent against the Titans and now Tee Higgins is hurt, which won't help.

USA Today -- Rank: 26

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.

The Athletic -- Rank: 26

It's time to shut down Joe Burrow for a while because this isn't working. Cincinnati is last in the league in yards per play (4). Burrow's 4.8 yards per attempt are the worst in the league among qualifying quarterbacks and 3.6 yards per attempt less than his career average entering the season. These Bengals look nothing like last year's slow-starting group that eventually got rolling, and taking chances with the calf of your $275 million quarterback is only inviting real chaos.

FOX -- Rank: 22

All that progress against the Rams feels like a mirage now. The Titans obliterated this offense, and it's fair to wonder if Joe Burrow can lead an effective attack while he's dealing with this calf injury. If fixing that problem wasn't a big enough challenge, the Bengals now need to worry about frustration setting in for a team that's gotten used to success.

Yahoo! -- Rank: 21

The worst part about the Bengals struggling on offense is the line is a big culprit and they have tried hard to fix it. They spent money on it last season, and it was improved after a slow start, and then they signed Orlando Brown Jr. to a four-year, $64 million deal this past offseason. Now the line is back to being one of the worst in the NFL so far. That's disheartening.

PFT -- Rank: 24

Joe Burrow on one leg is not nearly the same as Patrick Mahomes on one leg.

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