As a whole, the Cincinnati Bengals are on the up after beating the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15 and securing a fifth consecutive postseason berth.
Still, it wouldn't be a normal week without ups and downs to address from the 24-14 affair. While some stepped up and rallied around backup quarterback AJ McCarron, other areas struggled and made the game perhaps closer than it should have been.
With eyes now on a postseason bye ahead of a Week 16 heavyweight bout with the Denver Broncos, it's critical to review the team's stock at key places to understand what to watch for ahead of the game.