NFL Power Rankings, Week 12: Biggest risers and fallers after Week 11

18. Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow has got to be just absolutely sick at this stage. He’s doing absolutely all he can to win games for the Bengals, and the Bengals just cannot close the deal.

They would be 9-2 in an alternate universe at this point.

But for a team that should be contending in the AFC, the playoffs are looking less and less likely by the week. The Bengals just cannot find a way to win games. They are giving up way too many points, they can’t finish games, and things are probably going to get at least semi-blown up after this season.

I still can’t fully “quit” the Bengals. They are simply too talented and Joe Burrow is simply too good. But for the time being, we can’t really take this team overly seriously in the AFC playoff race.

17. San Francisco 49ers

I hate to do this because of the respect I have for the San Francisco 49ers, but this team honestly just looks a little cooked.

I know the 49ers didn’t have George Kittle or Brandon Aiyuk out there, but the 49ers don’t look like their usual selves and obviously things are going to start getting away from them in a hurry here if they can’t string together some wins.

And in the NFC this year, nothing is going to be given. The 49ers play in maybe the most competitive division in the league right now from top to bottom with everyone being 5-5 or better at this point, and that’s both an encouraging note as well as a terrifying one if you’re the Niners.

Is this team going to be able to string together enough wins as the season progresses? They’ve been hovering in the top half of our NFL Power Rankings due to the respect they’ve earned in recent years, but this is one of the lowest spots I’ve ever had them.