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There’s nothing unusual about the Cincinnati Bengals being 5-4 at this point of the season, but they may look back on their early struggles and Sunday’s loss to visiting Houston as too much to overcome this year.
Cincinnati was 5-4 each of the past two years and rallied each time to win the AFC North and reach the conference title game. This year, the AFC North may be tougher than ever — the Bengals are in last place — and Cincinnati’s remaining schedule includes rematches with Baltimore and Cleveland and two games against Pittsburgh.
In other words, the Bengals really could have used a win against rookie sensation C.J. Stroud and the Texans. Last year, they won their final 10 games to claim the division title, and a similar run over the remaining eight games this year would be hugely impressive.
The first step: traveling to face the first-place Ravens on Thursday night. Baltimore (7-3) is reeling after blowing a 31-17 fourth-quarter lead and losing at home to Cleveland.
The Bengals have their own missed opportunities to lament after Stroud led the Texans to a last-second field goal and a 30-27 victory. It might not be so painful if not for Cincinnati’s 1-3 start to the season while quarterback Joe Burrow was limited by a calf injury. The Bengals responded with four straight wins, but the Ravens, Browns (6-3) and Steelers (6-3) have been more consistent.
Burrow said the Bengals will have to put this loss — he called it one of the most frustrating of his career — behind them fast.
“We have to,” Burrow said. “So, we have to get our bodies right. That’s the toughest part of these Thursday night games. It starts now.”
Texans beat Bengals: Has C.J. Stroud entered the NFL MVP conversation? | First Things First
The Bengals squandered multiple offensive chances against Houston. The Texans’ defense, one of the best in the league at stopping the run, held Cincinnati to 66 rushing yards, 20 of them on a single scramble by Burrow, who also was…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/bengals-face-difficult-path-to-repeat-last-seasons-run-to-division-title
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Publish date : 2023-11-13 23:21:23
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