Bengals fall behind two contending AFC teams in a ranking that should have them much higher
No NFL team is doing it like the Kansas City Chiefs are right now. Three Super Bowl victories in five years is enough for a new dynasty in the league.The only thing we like to see more than dominance rise, however, is dominance fall. Think about what Green Goblin said to Peter Parker in the […]
No NFL team is doing it like the Kansas City Chiefs are right now. Three Super Bowl victories in five years is enough for a new dynasty in the league.
The only thing we like to see more than dominance rise, however, is dominance fall. Think about what Green Goblin said to Peter Parker in the first Spider-Man movie of this century.
So who'd be next after the Chiefs to sit on the throne for a new dynasty? The Cincinnati Bengals surely have a case, but not as strong as you'd expect in ranking all of them apparently.
Despite being the only team in the NFL with a winning record against the Chiefs since their first title, the Bengals were ranked as the seventh-most likely franchise to become the NFL's next dynasty by Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox.
Naturally, they were behind a couple teams in their own conference, including one in their own division.
Both the Houston Texans (third) and Baltimore Ravens (sixth), teams with three total playoff wins combined compared to the Bengals' five since the 2021 season, are more likely to become dynasties in the near future relative to Cincinnati.
Of the reasons why this is the case, one sticks out more than the rest.
"Of course, there are reasons why the Bengals aren't higher on this list. Key players like Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson are set to be free agents in 2025 and 2026, respectively, and both requested trades earlier this offseason. Cincinnati's 31st-ranked defense was a problem last season, and there are questions about head coach Zac Taylor and about [Joe] Burrow's ability to stay on the field." – Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox
Inevitable roster turnover, instability of year-to-year defensive efficiency, and the competency of a head coach who's won 36 total games in the past three years aren't the notable issues Knox described them to be.
But the health of the quarterback? There lies the concern.
If Burrow isn't able to play, the Bengals have no chance of winning a Super Bowl, let alone multiple to become a dynasty. It became crystal clear last season when the team inevitably fell short of the postseason after Burrow went down for the year with a wrist injury.
Two season-ending injuries in four years for Burrow is certainly notable, but it also feels too early to put the Texans significantly higher than the Bengals when they've yet to reach the AFC Championship game under their extremely new regime. Confidence is very high in Houston, but the Bengals have a more proven case in comparison.
Baltimore also has more to prove after failing to get past the Chiefs on their own turf a few months ago, and that was before their defensive coordinator and several starters left the team.
Consider it another bullet point in the Bengals' journey to gain back respect off a down year.
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