It's too early to deliver a knockout punch in the NFL. We're just hitting the midpoint of the season. But it is possible to jab ahead in the division race, and stagger your closest opponents.
The Bengals begin today with a 5-2 mark, it's the same as Pittsburgh. It's one game better than Baltimore. Coincidentally, the Bengals play the Ravens today and the Steelers in Pittsburgh next week.
The Bengals have already beaten the Ravens and the Steelers in earlier meetings. I'm anxious to see if they can finish the job today. Victories give the Bengals a huge advantage down the road when it comes to adding up points for the playoffs. A loss simply evens the score.
It will be a chance to see if the Bengals can play with the physical and mental toughness they showed over six of the first seven games. Did they lose a step in the bye week? Did they give away some intensity?
Because the Ravens have already lost to the Bengals, they come into Cincinnati in a more desperate frame of mind. Even Carson Palmer noted earlier this week that this is a must-win game for Baltimore. Knowing that, can the Bengals put them away?
Players don't like to admit that they think ahead, but Chad Ocho Cinco admitted to me this week that he sees this as a two game season against Baltimore and Pittsburgh. These are essential wins. Even the most clueless player has checked the schedule and sees that laggards Oakland, Cleveland and Detroit follow this brutal two game stretch.
They say the Bengals have the most favorable schedule of the AFC North leaders for the rest of the season.
That means nothing if they don't take care of business this week and next.
