The Bengals might be toast after loss to Chargers, plus WNBA lottery results

Let’s get the preamble out of the way: It’s still only Week 11 in the NFL. There is still plenty of time for any of the following teams to surge. But we’re making judgment calls, and to have takes means taking chances.

Thus we move forward. With seven weeks left, let’s eliminate — and absolve — some teams on the NFL playoff bubble after a wild slate of action yesterday:

❌ OUT: Bengals, Jets, Bears

What a cursed year for Cincinnati, who looked like the worst team in the NFL for a half last night (then the best team for most of the next half) and melted down in the final two minutes of a thrilling 34-27 loss to the Chargers. The Bengals are 4-7 and in one of the most difficult divisions. The rest of the schedule isn’t monumental, but in my book, Cincy is just too far behind. Start planning Cabo. Sidebar: At 7-3, Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh are cooking.
At least the Bengals aren’t the Jets, who fell to 3-8 after a 28-27 loss to Anthony Richardson and the 5-6 Colts. It’s the same story again, for a team that still has talent across the board and cannot buy a win. Our Zack Rosenblatt even wondered if Aaron Rodgers should be benched, a day after Dianna Russini reported it’s no guarantee Rodgers is back next season. Richardson looked great, though.
The worst vibes of all reside in Chicago, where a once-promising season featuring the No. 1 overall draft pick is now a spectacular failure. Including yesterday’s 20-19 disaster against 7-3 Green Bay, a four-game losing streak has turned 4-2 into 4-6, complete with blowout losses and maddeningly narrow defeats. Matt Eberflus’ job is on the line, bar none. Caleb Williams showed progress in this one, but it was all for naught — thanks to a blocked field goal as time expired. The Bears have lost 11 straight to the Packers. Just brutal.

🤨 UNSURE: The entire NFC South

Year after year, this division confounds, and usually because it’s so mediocre throughout. It’s much the same now, as the Saints — who have already fired their coach and endured a seven-game losing streak — have now won two straight after whipping the Browns 35-14 yesterday. They are just two games behind 6-5 Atlanta for the division lead. Those Falcons, once shoo-ins for the division crown, got walloped by Bo Nix and the Broncos 38-6 yesterday. Atlanta has now lost two straight. Is anyone good in this division? Who knows! Congrats to the 5-5 Buccaneers for not playing this weekend.

✅ EXTREMELY IN: Lions, Bills, Steelers

We must give props today, too. At 9-1, Detroit is clearly the best team in the NFL right now, having pounded the 2-9 Jaguars 52-6. Jared Goff rebounded with 412 yards and four touchdowns, and Jacksonville endured the worst loss in franchise history. Vying for second place: the Bills (9-2) and Chiefs (9-1) after the former gave the latter their first loss of the season in yesterday’s incredible 30-21 Buffalo win. Josh Allen was awesome. I hope these two meet in the playoffs yet again. Trying to stop that outcome: Pittsburgh (8-2) and Baltimore (7-4) after the Steelers’ big 18-16 victory over the Ravens yesterday, solidifying Mike Tomlin’s crew as the class of the AFC North. Pittsburgh didn’t even need a touchdown to win.

Whew. We missed multiple other good games, too, which is indicative of how good the weekend slate was. Full Week 11 takeaways are here.