A healthy Joe Burrow and a dominant pass rush have Cincinnati surging. Discover how national analysts view the 2-0 Bengals ahead of a pivotal divisional clash in Pittsburgh.
The Cincinnati Bengals are 2-0 for the second straight season. At this point in the year, there is much more optimism about their potential for the rest of the season than last year. The Bengals woke up 2-0 in 2025 after week two, knowing their quarterback would miss significant time with a turf toe injury and still had the same liability-ridden defense, leading to a 6-11 record.
Now, their quarterback is healthy, for the most part, and they have a basically opposite defense that can rush the passer with reckless abandon. The efficient offense of the past few years has looked rather uninspiring in weeks one and two, specifically Joe Burrow, who said he played incredibly average against the Texans.
Given their impressive start to the season with wins over two good teams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home and the Houston Texans on the road, where do they fall in various power rankings into week three?
Colin Cowherd of The Herd ranks the Bengals No. 5, praising their run defense. He has the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, and Seattle Seahawks ahead of Cincinnati after Week 2.
Danny Parkins of First Things First has the Bengals at No. 6, noting they won by double digits and scored 20 points or less for the second time since Joe Burrow joined the Bengals in 2020.
Nick Shook of Around the NFL and NFL.com ranked the Bengals among their highest spots at No. 3, with only the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks ahead. He called the defense's performance in week two undeniable for people who thought week one may have been a fluke. Shook says he sees a complete team built for the long haul.
ESPN ranks the Bengals among the lowest in the industry at No. 9, with questionable teams like the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens ahead of Cincinnati. ESPN says Burrow’s toughness was impressive after he dealt with a controversial back issue, and that he’s been one of the league's most clutch quarterbacks, ranking 10th in third-down QBR at 86.1 and near-perfect in red-zone QBR at 99.9.
The Bengals travel to Pittsburgh for their first AFC North game of the season with a chance to pick up another big road win. Starting the season 3-0 would vault them up in various power rankings ahead of Week 4. The Steelers are 1-1, beating the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 and losing to the New England Patriots in Week 2.
