Bengals, a joke no more, now amongst NFL's best

CINCINNATI — They are Bungles no more. In fact, it's easy to imagine the Bengals having the second-best record in the NFL. Throw out that fluke play from the season opener against Denver—cornerback Leon Hall deflected a Kyle Orton pass into the hands of Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley, who took it in for a game-winning touchdown in the closing seconds—and the Bengals would be 6-1 going into their bye week. As it is, they are 5-2, tied with the Steelers for first place in the AFC North and, well, let's just say it: The Bengals are among the best teams in the league. Bengals QB Carson Palmer had a career-high passer rating Sunday vs. the Bears. That might seem like hyperbole given that this franchise has had one winning season—one—since 1990. But these Bengals might be better than the '05 edition, which went 13-3 and won the division. "We are," wide receiver Chad Ochocinco said without hesitation. "We have a lot more talen...