Bengals WR Jermaine Burton is unexpectedly inactive as a healthy scratch

Time may be running out for several projected contenders whose early-season struggles have spilled over into the second quarter of the schedule, and now these teams are in holes that may soon prove impossible to escape.

After showing a burst of life, winning two games to bounce back from a 1-4 start, the Cincinnati Bengals were blown out at home by the Philadelphia Eagles last week. Now 3-5, they hope a date with the hapless Las Vegas Raiders will allow them to take a step back in the right direction. Joe Burrow just can’t get the support of a healthy arsenal or a solid defense when he needs it most. Fortunately for the Bengals, who are trailing the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, the Raiders are in even worse shape.

Meanwhile, division rival Cleveland also finds itself in do-or-die mode. At 2-6, a turnaround in the season and a push into the playoffs seems like a long shot. Jameis Winston took over at point guard, however, and provided a spark in last week’s upset of Baltimore. He’ll try to do it again on Sunday when the Browns host the Los Angeles Chargers for their first two-game series of the season.

In the AFC East, Buffalo hosts Miami 6-2 and looks to take another step toward closing the division before the final month of the regular season. However, the Dolphins have their man Tua Tagovailoa back at linebacker, and they hope he can build off of last week’s promising performance in a heartbreaking 28-27 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Pointing to a 2021 season that has seen the Dolphins improve from 1-7 to 9-8, Tagovailoa and his teammates refuse to lose hope. They believe a strong second half of the season will position them for a return to the playoffs. But without the upset of host Bill on Sunday, such a quest will be almost impossible.

And then there’s Dallas. At 3-4, the Cowboys certainly weren’t out of it mathematically. But their warts are many, and solutions to their failed crime seem out of reach. Their defense could get some reinforcements soon, but Micah Parsons doesn’t appear to be healthy enough to return this week. So this week’s trip to Atlanta, where the 5-3 Falcons look to extend their lead in the NFC South, could prove to be Dallas’ toughest yet. Another loss could put Mike McCarthy’s team too far behind Washington and Philadelphia in the NFC East.