For the first time in years, the Kansas City Chiefs aren't the team to beat in the AFC, at least in the eyes of the media. They're still a force to be reckoned with, but they'll have to reclaim their now-lost spot.
Of course, that will be way easier said than done, given that the conference is stacked with talent and some of the usual suspects may have gotten better. Notably, that might be the case with the Cincinnati Bengals.
At least, that's how CBS Sports experts feel. In their latest annual survey, they ranked the Bengals' offensive triplet as the best in the game, with the Chiefs slotted five spots below. That makes sense to a degree, but they still have to prove themselves.
The Bengals don't have the Chiefs' postseason credentials, but yet they get more respect
According to Jared Dubin, most CBS Sports experts ranked Joe Burrow, Chase Brown, and Ja'Marr Chase as the best offensive trio in the game, though they were ranked as low as No. 4. Cincinnati always looks strong on paper, but they haven't gotten the job done when it matters the most:
"The Bengals are on top once again. They reclaimed the top spot in the rankings last year and received seven of the nine first-place votes this season. Burrow's injury absence wasn't enough to knock them off their perch," wrote Dubin.
The Chiefs will visit the Bengals in Week 14 for yet another instant classic in their brewing rivalry. Still, regardless of who wins, what matters is who gets the last laugh in January when it's win-or-go-home time.
Granted, Joe Burrow is one of just two AFC quarterbacks to beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs (Tom Brady), but that's pretty much as good as it's gotten for that organization. Their Super Bowl run in 2021 looks more fluky by the day, and their head coach, Zac Taylor, will most definitely lose his job if they get off to a slow start to the season.
Football is won on the gridiron, not on paper or rankings. And even if they didn't make the playoffs last season, no one has won more than the Kansas City Chiefs in the past decade. It feels like pundits and fans give the Bengals way too much credit. They've won multiple imaginary and projections-based Super Bowls, but not the actual thing. They're the true definition of pretender, not contender.
The Chiefs are keeping receipts and listening to all the outside noise. Reckoning day will come, and those who chose five offensive triples ahead of the Chiefs will have to keep the same energy when they prove them wrong in January.
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