Getty Gallery: 3/6
No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars
No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals
I really hated seeing the Jaguars lose how they did to the Chiefs, but even after falling behind 20-0, they were able to find the end zone twice in the second half. There's no question it's going to be tough to adjust to life without Leonard Fournette for a few weeks, but losing to the NFL's best team in a hostile environment isn't anything to stick your nose up at.
Sure, the Jaguars need to improve offensively, but I'm not the slightest bit concerned about the defense. After the four-interception game, Blake Bortles was honest about there being some bad fortune and admitted he needed to be better in that capacity, as ESPN's Michael DiRocco revealed.
“We had a little bit of bad fortune,” Bortles said. “We have a tipped pick in the end zone. We had a screen get picked. ... Then we had some strip sacks. It is stuff we have to try to eliminate. It is a group effort. We all have to lock in and be better."
“It felt a lot like some games we have had in the past,” Bortles said. “Moved the ball. There were some good things done and then there were the turnovers. You can’t turn the ball over. I can’t throw four picks. It is hard to win when you turn the ball over.”
The Jaguars will be fine and are still the best team in the AFC South. With that said, they'll be tested in the coming weeks with games against the Cowboys, Texans and Eagles on tap.
Bengals Keep Rolling, Offense Hums Along
Following Sunday's action, the Cincinnati Bengals now hold the top spot in the AFC North by themselves. Thanks to Browns pulling off an upset of the Ravens, it means Andy Dalton and company continue their upward trend. The Bengals have gone 3-0 in conference play and 1-0 in the division to this point.
The return of Joe Mixon only bolsters the Bengals' legitimacy as one of the NFL's top teams. Coming back from a knee injury, the second-year back tallied 22 carries for 93 yards and caught three passes for 22 yards and one touchdown in the 27-17 win over the Miami Dolphins.
As Adam Baum of the Cincinnati Enquirer revealed, both Dalton and head coach Marvin Lewis even admitted that Mixon's touchdown reception helped spark their recent win.
"The touchdown to Joe really gave us that spark and felt like the momentum shifted at that point," said Dalton.
"Joe came back to the ball and made a nice play – an athletic play – on the football, which is great." Marvin Lewis stated.
The Bengals are facing a few major tests in the coming weeks, and these games could potentially be a measuring stick to show just how good this team is capable of being. Cincinnati faces the Steelers, Chiefs, and Buccaneers prior to their bye week, and then draws the Saints, Ravens, and Browns following it.