A messy loss to the Steelers sent the Cincinnati Bengals sliding in Week 4 power rankings across the board, with every major outlet knocking them down after Sunday’s setback.
The biggest drop came from USA TODAY, which pushed Cincinnati to No. 17 after placing the Bengals at No. 6 a week earlier. Nate Davis summed it up this way: “An unanticipated defensive breakdown regressed them to a 2-1 record and a four-way tie atop (at the bottom?) of the AFC North.”
Yahoo! Sports moved the Bengals to No. 12, down seven spots, while Sports Illustrated also slotted them at No. 13 after a seven-spot fall.
Frank Schwab wrote, “The Bengals are getting it done everywhere with Joe Burrow and the offense but they need to get more consistent in pass defense to match.” Conor Orr added, “Losing to the Steelers, an offense that I felt was one of the worst in the NFL over the first two weeks, was incredibly disappointing.”
NFL.com had Cincinnati at No. 8, down five, with Nick Shook noting, “Cincinnati’s hyped defense took a big reputation hit Sunday when it allowed Aaron Rodgers to turn back the clock.” Pro Football Talk ranked the Bengals No. 7, a four-spot drop, and Mike Florio put it bluntly: “You can’t beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh by repeatedly shooting yourself in the foot.”
Sporting News also had Cincinnati at No. 12, down six, and Vinnie Iyer used the same assessment of the offense and pass defense balance: “The Bengals are getting it done everywhere with Joe Burrow and the offense but they need to get more consistent in pass defense to match.”
ESPN placed the Bengals at No. 12, down three spots. Ben Baby wrote, “Brown has just one touchdown, with a season high of 18.8 fantasy points in Week 1 against the Bucs.”
Pete Prisco added, “The defense came back to reality in the loss to the Steelers. They now face a tough Jaguars offense at home this week.”
Ryan Dunleavy did not provide a blurb for the Bengals.
In Other News...
Bengals Legend Blames One Reckless Decision For Steelers Loss
The Bengals loss to the Steelers has been picked apart from plenty of angles, but T.J. Houshmandzadeh zeroed in on one third-quarter sequence he changed the feel of the game. Speaking on the Speakeasy podcast, the former Cincinnati receiver blamed the decision to try to block a punt, a gamble that instead produced a roughing the kicker penalty and handed Pittsburgh a fresh break in a tight spot.
Houshmandzadeh called the call reckless, arguing that the odds of successfully blocking a punt in the NFL are so slim that the risk rarely justifies the reward. That backdrop matters because blocked punts remain one of the leagues rarest plays, with only 59 since 2020, which only sharpens the scrutiny on a decision that left the Bengals paying for a mistake rather than cashing in on one. [Read more 🡒]
Dalton Risner Saw One Bengals Positive Even In That Final Chaos
The Bengals had one last chance to steal the game from Pittsburgh, and it ended in the kind of scramble that leaves an offensive lineman replaying every second. Joe Burrow was sacked and fumbled on Cincinnatis final offensive snap, with the Steelers coming away with the recovery to close out the game in chaos.
Even in that finish, Dalton Risner found a silver lining for Cincinnati. The right guard pointed to tight end Erick All for the way he kept fighting for the loose ball after the official recovery, a small detail in a messy ending that at least showed the Bengals were still playing hard to the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Face A Stretch That Could Change Everything Before Madrid
The Bengals Week 3 loss to the Steelers only sharpened the focus on what comes next, because the road before the trip to Madrid looks like the kind of stretch that can define a season. Cincinnati is staring at a run of games against the Jaguars, Dolphins, Ravens and Titans, a mix that tests everything from pass rush and coverage to the ability to stay steady while injuries and coaching decisions continue to shape the week-to-week outlook.
Jacksonville and Miami bring their own challenges, while Baltimore always raises the stakes for Cincinnati in a division race that leaves little margin for error. Tennessee can be a different kind of test, but the bigger question is whether the Bengals can use this stretch to reset their footing before the spotlight shifts overseas, or whether the issues that surfaced against Pittsburgh keep following them into October. [Read more 🡒]