It was a week of surprising results as a few division leaders fell. How did this all of this affect the newest NFL Power Rankings?
32
Cincinnati Bengals 0-9
Last week: L, 49-13 vs BAL
Last rank: 32nd
Recap: The Bengals had some extra time to prepare for their rematch with the first-place Ravens. In Week 6 at Baltimore, the Cincinnati defense gave up 269 yards on the ground in a 23-17 loss. Rookie quarterback Ryan Finley would make his first start but the team was down 14-0 early as Zac Taylor’s team surrendered a pair of 75-yard touchdown drives in the first quarter. The deficit would reach 25 points in the second quarter and Taylor’s squad was on its way to another lopsided loss. Cincinnati had a pair of turnovers returned for score by the Ravens’ defense. The Bengals handily won the time of possession battle but allowed a whopping 8.2 yards per play.
Next Week: The Bengals head to the Bay Area and collide with the Oakland Raiders. It’s the teams’ third meeting in the last five years dating back to 2015. A year ago at Cincinnati (Week 15), the Bengals came away with 30-16 victory over Gruden’s club. Cincinnati has won the last three meetings in this series dating back to 2012.
Playoff hopes: Make it four consecutive losing seasons after five straight playoff appearances as the Bengals have now lost 11 games in a row dating back to Week 16 of 2018. The defense has been abysmal and the offense hasn’t been much better. It’s going to be an interesting offseason for the NFL’s only winless team after 10 weeks.
31
Washington Redskins 1-8
Last week: OFF
Last rank: 31st
Recap: The Redskins went into their off-week having lost three straight games in which they failed to score a touchdown in any of those contests. In the team’s 24-9 loss at Buffalo in Week 9, rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins made his first NFL start. And he will get the nod once again when the team returns to action against the Jets in Week 11. In any case, it’s the second straight year that the club has utilized at least three different signal-callers. While the ‘Skins’ offense has struggled regardless of who’s at the controls, veteran running back Adrian Peterson has caught fire the last few weeks. Meanwhile, Washington’s defense has been a bit disappointing.
Next Week: The Redskins head north to MetLife Stadium for the second time this season and hope to fare better than they did against the Giants in early October. While Washington owns an 8-3 advantage in this infrequent series, the team has dropped two straight to the New York Jets – including a 34-19 home loss eight years ago.
Playoff hopes: Another year and a third straight season in which the franchise will not post a winning record. This was a club that won the NFC East with a 9-7 record back in 2015 and since then has had more issues than bright spots. It’s a club that needs to take a closer look at how it’s doing business when it comes to building a team.