As close as the final score was, the Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Baltimore Ravens so for the time being, they're not as good of a team as the Ravens are.
Of course, some fans will point to how the Bengals defense kept Lamar Jackson and the majority of the Ravens offense in check for most of the night, but that wasn't enough to get the stripes the win. By failing to knock off the Ravens, Cincinnati fell to 2-3 and failed to grab that first place spot in the AFC North, which would have been all theirs had they come through in this one.
AFC North Power Rankings after Week 5
1. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)
2. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)
3. Cleveland Browns (2-3)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-4)
While the Browns are technically in second place in the division due to their 1-0 division record, the Bengals appear to be the better team between the two. I know that's saying something considering how bad the Browns beat up on Cincinnati last year but the slate is wiped clean when the new league year begins. Until Deshaun Watson is starting games and showing that he's the same quarterback who led the league in passing in 2020, the Bengals are the better team.
The Ravens deserve to be at the top of the pack because of their head-to-head over the Bengals and being the only team in the division to have a winning record at the moment. The Steelers deserve to be last because -- Well, have you SEEN them play? It's embarrassing that the Bengals lost to this Steelers team. Pittsburgh might be the worst team in football this year.
How would you rank the AFC North after five games?