There isn’t enough makeup in the world to make this pig look presentable.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ 49-41 loss to the San Diego Chargers was a bad one, as bad as it gets in the ninth week of a 16-week season. In that narrow context, it may have been the clunker of all clunkers, a game that even the old Bengals — those Bengals — would have had trouble duplicating.

Timing, as they say, is everything, and the timing of this debacle couldn’t have been much worse. This was a game Cincinnati almost certainly had to win to have a realistic shot at repeating as AFC North Division champs, and they were well on their way to doing that, with 28-7 halftime lead against a quality opponent, when their defense turned into 3,000 pounds of quivering jelly.

LaDainian Tomlinson's exceptional running has helped make the San Diego Chargers strong contenders. A bad run has caused contention for Chad Johnson and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Tomlinson looks to continue his torrid stretch as the Chargers try to win three straight for the first time this season when they face Johnson and the stumbling Bengals on Sunday.
Tomlinson ran for 172 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries to lead San Diego (6-2) to a 32-25 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Power Rankings These rankings were suppose to have one explicit rule, rank teams on how they have played lately,because as we all know, come playoff time, the hottest team usually wins (Not the one with the best record). Since I ate Skyline chili last night and liked it, I have decided to keep the Bengals and their miserable 1-4 record in their last five games in the hunt. However, I don't know how much longer I can do that with a straight face. So here we go, if the playoffs were set up after week 9, they would look like this... 

NFC 

1. N.Y. Giants- Somehow they just jumped from third to first in the rankings (which should never     happen if you only slip by Houston), but that's what happens when your two best stars aren't out     and you didn't just lose to Miami.

2. Chicago Bears- What in the name of George Halas happened on Sunday, losing to the Dolphins is      never good, unless of course Dan Marino is their quarterback.

1.   The Bears' loss to the Dolphins Sunday only proved one thing, Rex Grossman is a poor      man's Heath Shuler, which means he should be out of football and in congress in the next       six years.   

2.  For all of you female football fans out there, please tell me, what is more painful; childbirth or watching the Raider's offense? 

Remember when the NFL schedule came out and the last game of the season for the Cincinnati Bengals looked like a perfect way to springboard into 2007?

Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati in Paul Brown Stadium on New Year’s Eve. Not long ago, word was the NFL would change the 1 p.m. scheduled start to prime time, which it still might do.

But instead of that game serving as a prelude to the playoffs, not much more than draft position might be at stake. Welcome to Mel Kiper Jr.’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve!