Cincinnati Bengals OK. Long way from Super Bowl standard | Williams

The Cincinnati Bengals kicked off their season with their best five-game start since the 2021 Super Bowl, as they defeated the Miami Dolphins 31-24 on October 11th, bringing their record to 3-2 heading into a bye week. While this is positive news, it doesn't mean the team is a Super Bowl contender. The Cincinnati Bengals are currently OK, and maybe even wild card team OK, but they are far from being the Super Bowl contender they once thought they would be with a healthy Joe Burrow and a rebuilt defense.

Joe Burrow himself emphasized that the season is about winning or losing, not about setting expectations for next year. The Bengals' win against the winless Dolphins was disappointing, given that they allowed the Dolphins to rush for 217 yards, a concerning stat as the top rushing teams in the league include Buffalo, Kansas City, and Baltimore.

The Bengals' next game is against Baltimore on October 25th, and they need to improve their fielding of punts and kickoffs. Dohnte Meyers had a fumble on a kickoff that was near the sideline and he couldn't maintain his balance, stepping out of bounds at the 4-yard line. While it's understandable that perfection isn't expected, the Bengals need to be playing at the same level as the Bills, Chiefs, and Jaguars.