The 49ers were our unambiguous, no-questions-asked No. 1 overall team not too long ago.
The Bengals, meanwhile, were trying to figure out who they were.
Of course, Cincinnati stormed into Levi’s Stadium on Sunday and won handily, potentially tipping the scales in favor of both teams. Do the Bengals have a chance to win the Super Bowl again? Are the 49ers in disarray?
Although we can’t quite have the same discussion with Denver and Kansas City, the Chiefs must answer some difficult issues in the wake of their crushing defeat by a team they had won 16 games in a row.
I’m not drawing any hasty judgments about these teams or the others, and this past week produced a number of unexpected outcomes. Plus a few victories (you know who we mean, Jets) that shouldn’t yet cause anyone’s Super Bowl trip plans to alter.
As we approach the halfway mark of the season, let’s see what we can make of the league order.
Should Tyreek Hill be considered a Miami MVP contender, A.J. Brown ought to be considered as well. For the past six weeks, Brown has been on a roll. During that time, he has averaged over 125 receiving yards per game, and on Sunday, he put up two more touchdowns. Without the excellence of Brown and Jalen Hurts, who were both playing at their best, the Eagles would not be able to defeat the Commanders. The defense genuinely had few answers for Sam Howell, and it was another difficult day in the red zone (Philly went 3-for-5, but lost two fumbles within the 5-yard line), which has been a persistent problem. Those things did not stop the Eagles from winning. Naturally, anticipating to follow suit in the pivotal matchup with the
After dominating the Lions in Week 7, there were few indications that the Ravens were experiencing an emotional letdown. Lamar Jackson didn’t contribute much, but he wasn’t needed to. They gave Arizona too much leeway, but ultimately, this was a good road victory. With three of the next nine games (and six of the last nine) in Baltimore, they’ll take it. The good news is that. The negative? The majority of the remaining opponents appear tougher or more skilled. Additionally, since the Ravens’ previous divisional matchup, the AFC North has grown somewhat stronger. Even still, they lead the AFC by a tie, are 6-2, and may be playing better than anybody else in the conference. The Seahawks, this week’s opponent, might be just one major victory away.
The Dolphins should be alright if they can manage to get the offensive line in some form of usable condition. While Connor Williams and Terron Armstead’s impending returns will be helpful, Robert Hunt’s circumstances cast some doubt on that unit’s prospects. Another significant plus is that following the Germany game, De’Von Achane will be qualified to leave the injured reserve. When Jevon Holland and Xavien Howard return to the starting lineup, the secondary can potentially improve from within. It was better than anyone could have imagined when Jalen Ramsey made his debut in Sunday’s victory over the Patriots. He participated in run support, had an interception, and played almost the entire game. It appears as though Miami acquired
Under Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs have only ever received a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the playoffs. However, if they want to keep their chances of earning the top seed this year alive, they may have to win this Sunday in Frankfurt against the Dolphins, who are currently one of three 6-2 AFC teams. The Chiefs were, in fact, thoroughly crushed by a team they had previously defeated 16 times, and after trailing early on Sunday, Mahomes failed to muster any kind of comeback. He was playing poorly due to the flu, even though a few massive drops and an unexpectedly unsteady offensive line didn’t help.
