There was a time -- even if it lasted for only a few hours -- that the Cincinnati Bengals laid claim to the status as the NFL's last unbeaten team.
That time feels like eons ago, but three weeks later, the Bengals find themselves sinking in the AFC North standings, now trailing the Baltimore Ravens by 1.5 games and having one fewer win than the Pittsburgh Steelers following an 0-2-1 stretch.
The raw numbers paint an ugly picture. The Bengals have been outscored 107-54 during their three-game winless streak, including being shut out on Sunday for the first time since 2009. The defense, which played as well as any other during the first three weeks of the season, is now yielding 23.3 points per game, 18th in the NFL. The offense hasn't been much better, but it should be noted that star wide receiver A.J. Green -- the team's best player -- has missed the past two games due to a recurring toe injury.
No matter how it's viewed, the Bengals' October has been a forgettable one, and the team some believed was among the very best in the NFL after three weeks now faces a virtual must-win in Week 8 to keep realistic playoff hopes alive.
Let's dig in on what's gone wrong for Cincinnati: