KANSAS CITY – The last two weeks served as a litmus test for this young, emerging Bengals team.
Were they for real after a 4-1 start? Were they ready to show they belonged in the conversation of the true contenders in the AFC?
There was no need to speculate, we said, we would learn on the field.
Two weeks later, we know. Undeniably. They aren't ready.
And judging by Sunday night's 45-10 boat race, they are farther away than we thought.
While encouraging themes and a stack of winning plays were prevalent in the heartbreaking loss to the Steelers last week, this represented the type of big-game embarrassment that has fueled the frustration of the fan base repeatedly over the years.