3 most surprising teams thus far in the 2023 NFL Season
-Vocal offseason from this AFC West coach hasn't resulted in progress thus far
-Two straight AFC Championship Game appearances doesn't matter in 2023
3. Cincinnati Bengals (1-3)
My goodness, do the Cincinnati Bengals currently stink. Joe Burrow is a total mess; his calf is clearly not healthy enough to be on the field, the offensive line is still a problem, and the defense has been pretty whatever thus far.
Honestly, this slow start from the Bengals feels a little bit different than their slow starts in 2021 and 2022. This one feels like it's a bit of a deeper issue. Sure, Burrow's calf can get healthy and in turn help him do his job more efficient, but doesn't something just feel off with this team?
They have the 31st-ranked scoring offense, averaging just 12.3 points per game. They've also already been blown out twice. Honestly, you could argue that the Bengals are one of the three worst teams in the NFL currently. To be fair, though, if Burrow can get hot, then the Bengals will be just fine.
Cincy faces the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks before their bye week, but their first two games after the bye are against the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills. There's a real chance that after their next four games, the Bengals are just 2-6. This might be a near-impossible hole to climb out of unless this team can get two straight wins heading into the bye.