Ravens: Why the team’s Week 7 loss is no reason to panic

The Bengals are a better team than the Ravens expected

It’s never nice to lose, especially to a division rival, double-especially as the favorite, but it is important to give the Bengals the credit they deserve.

Entering the season, the Browns were acknowledged as the Ravens’ greatest rival for the AFC North, with the Steelers behind them, all above the Bengals who were largely expected to retain the basement of the division.

Through these first seven weeks, the Bengals have asserted themselves as a true contender in the AFC and have shown they are a highly competitive team in every phase of the game.

Joe Burrow is quickly ascending up quarterback rankings, showing exactly why he has been rated so highly, Ja’Marr Chase is a legitimate star already, and Joe Mixon is one of the most underrated running backs in the NFL – not to mention the threat and quality of Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, and C.J. Uzomah.

Defensively, while they may not have the big names at every level, they are playing very sound and tough football. They rank fifth in points allowed per game (18.3) and ninth in total yards allowed per game (339.9).

The Bengals are a very good team, and the Ravens have to adjust to them being a serious competitor rather than a basement dweller.