NFL power rankings, Week 14: Texans rise, Packers fade
. 5-7. Previous: . Cincinnati Bengals. 25. team. 56
Recap: Last week, quarterback Andy Dalton didn’t see the end of the team’s home loss to the Cleveland Browns. Last Monday, the seven-year pro was placed on injured reserve with a thumb injury. That means Jeff Driskel would make his first NFL start and he wound up throwing for 236 yards and a touchdowns. But he was also sacked four times and had two of the team’s three turnovers. The Bengals also rolled up a respectable 111 yards rushing on 23 carries. But the much-maligned Cincinnati defense surrendered a whopping 218 yards on the ground. And that’s been the story for a team that looked like a great story early in 2018.
Next Week: The Bengals head west to Los Angeles to battle the talented Chargers. It’s the teams’ first meeting since 2015, when Cincinnati came up with a 24-19 home win. Including a postseason clash in ’13, Lewis’ team is 4-1 in this setting dating back to 2010. But that lone loss came in the AFC Wild Card Playoffs.
Playoff hopes: From a 4-1 start to a current four-game losing streak, who knows what the future holds for a team that is closer to the AFC North basement than the top spot. There weren’t a lot of expectations for this club entering 2018, but the team has fallen apart in a big way after a promising beginning.
Next: No. 24