2017 NFL Power Rankings Preseason Week 2: Los Angeles Rams take major step forward

15. Cincinnati Bengals (16)

First off, it was great to see Marvin Lewis back on the sidelines for the Cincinnati Bengals after taking a minor leave of absence to deal with some health issues, as the head coach looks to get his team back on the level of being contenders. After an impressive streak of five playoff appearances in a row, the Bengals took a major step back last year by missing out on the postseason, but the good news is based off their talent alone, making a return hopefully won’t be an issue.

For the most part, the Bengals looked good against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their first preseason game, but it’s clear they still have plenty of areas to work on before the regular season arrives in a few weeks. But on a positive note, it was a relief to see Joe Mixon waste no time making an impact on the offensive side of the football.

Selecting the former Oklahoma standout was risky for a team like Cincinnati when looking at the running back’s troubled past, but Mixon’s preseason debut was the perfect example of what kind of threat he can be for this offense. Between Mixon and Jeremy Hill, the Bengals backfield is going to be fun to watch this season.