Bengals Top Week 4 NFL Power Rankings
Sep 21, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard (25) looks on from the sidelines against the Tennessee Titans at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 33-7. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
This week’s power rankings was a bit of a surprise when CBS and NFL.com had the Bengals ranked #1. They were #2 on ESPN and USA Today second only to the Seattle Seahawks. Either way, the Bengals are playing like a team ready to make a run in the playoffs.
CBSSports.com’s Pete Prisco: #1
When Pete Prisco was asked if he really believed in his heart that the Bengals were number 1, he said:
"You can’t put the Seattle ahead of San Diego, they have the same record as San Diego and San Diego beat them…you can’t make a case for Denver because they lost to Seattle."
By the Way, Seattle is #3 and San Diego is #8 in his ranking while Denver is at #5.
"They head into the bye at 3-0 behind a defense that has really impressed. The creativity on offense has been good the first three weeks."
NFL.com’s Elliot Harrison: #1
Elliot Harrison has shown his appreciation of the Bengals almost as much as Prisco, but for a different reason. He is a little more ready to compare this Bengals team to last year’s NFL Champions.
"Titans corner Blidi Wreh-Wilson should not feel bad about that Andy Dalton receiving touchdown from Sunday’s Bengals win; it’s widely known in NFL circles that Dalton always meets the ball at its highest point. Cincinnati earned the top spot by virtue of having a defense that allows just 11 points per game, a quarterback who has made few mistakes and isn’t asked to put everything on his shoulders and a running attack that is grinding out 121.7 yards per contest. Survey says! #2013 Seahawks 2.0"
ESPN: #2
I have said that ESPN is my “go to” for the best NFL power ranking system and I still believe that, even though they have a Seattle team, who has already proven to be a bit of a shaky road team, at #1.
"Andy Dalton is the only qualified quarterback in the league who hasn’t been sacked this season. That, and a league-best plus-6 turnover margin, helps explain Cincinnati’s hot start."
USA Today: #2
USA Today seems to agree with ESPN that Seattle is somehow better than any team in the NFL despite a bad road game against the Chargers.
"Even if pummeling the Titans isn’t reason to celebrate, their Week 2 beat down of the Falcons now looks far more impressive."
I am still somewhat hesitant to say the Bengals are a top power ranking team, but they are definitely deserving of the discussion. They head into the Week 4 bye in a great position and will prepare for a difficult Patriots team in Foxborough the following week.