The quarterback is the most important position in the NFL in this era. Look at every top team in the league, and you'll see an elite quarterback at the helm. The Kansas City Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes. The Buffalo Bills have Josh Allen. The Philadelphia Eagles have Jalen Hurts. For the Cincinnati Bengals, they have former first overall pick Joe Burrow leading the way.

So when Burrow was ruled out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury, many people pronounced the Bengals dead. Jake Browning was their quarterback, and he was a nobody compared to Burrow. Browning's performance right after replacing Burrow didn't inspire any confidence either. It was another season down the drain, another title contender that lost their season due to an untimely injury.

Well, don't look now, but the Bengals aren't quite as dead as their AFC North rivals have hoped. Over the last two games, Cincinnati's offense has put up 34 points in each contest. The offense has been balling out of their minds, and it's thanks in large part to Jake Browning executing their game plan to perfection.

The Bengals are 7-6, and they are knocking on the door of a playoff spot. Here's why the Bengals shouldn't be counted out of the AFC playoff race.

A revamped offense

It's easy to forget now, but the Bengals' offense was finally getting back on track before Joe Burrow's injury. A healthy Burrow decimated the San Francisco 49ers and put up numbers similar to his healthy campaigns. That made the season-ending injury against Baltimore even more brutal. They were finally finding their groove, only to lose the needle that spun them around.

It took some time to adjust, but the Bengals finally found a way to maximize Jake Browning's strengths while hiding his limitations. Instead of running shotgun formations and relying on Burrow's legs to extend plays, Cincinnati has a myriad of ways for Browning to get the ball out quickly. Screen passes to RBs are the name of the game, as well as more snaps under center. Joe Mixon and Chase Brown have gotten more touches in the passing attack, and that move has paid dividends.

That's not to say they've abandoned the passing game. When needed, Browning is able to stand in the pocket, go through his reads, and make accurate throws. In a way, it's a much better version of the offense they tried to run earlier in the season while Burrow was dealing with a bum calf. It's more balanced and gives the team a fighting chance in every game. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins still get their usual touches, with Chase still having those go routes that made life hell for Cincinnati's opponents. It will certainly be fascinating to see this offense grow over the course of the season.

Defense still solid

After Burrow's season-ending injury, there was a lot of pressure on the Bengals defense to step up. With the offense likely to go through growing pains, the team needed their defense to keep them in games. As much as possible, Lou Anarumo's squad needed to limit the pressure the offense would face by keeping their opponents down.

Well, that defense is able to handle their business when they need to. It can be uncomfortable at times watching the Bengals' defense bend and bend, but ultimately they don't break completely. Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard keep offensive lines honest, and Daxton Hill is emerging as one of the better safeties in the league. There's also Logan Wilson in the middle to clog things with his versatility.

There's definitely some cause for corner for the Bengals defense. They struggle against slippery and mobile quarterbacks like the Ravens' Lamar Jackson. Against the Jaguars, the Bengals struggled to contain the Trevor Lawrence-led offense. They're great against sub-par offenses, but against contenders, they have an uncomfortable tendency to break.

Still, we've see the magic that Lou Anarumo gives to his defense. It's hard to ignore the threat that this Bengals defense for the playoffs.

What's the prognosis?

I've been hyping up the Bengals for this article, but the truth of the matter is that the Bengals' path to a playoff appearance is tough, to say the least. They have two divisional games against the Browns and the Steelers on the schedule, and a matchup against the Chiefs sandwiched between them. The Vikings and their aggressive defense also poses a big threat to their offense. The divisional games in particular are going to be a problem: Cincinnati is 0-4 this season against division rivals.

Still, with the way this team is playing so far, it's hard not to be optimistic about this squad. A Super Bowl run is improbable at best, but they give themselves a chance at least if they make it to the playoffs. From there, who knows? We might either see a Burrow return… or a Browning-led Super Bowl. Either way, a playoff berth would be incredible for the Bengals.