With their impressive 17-7 win over the Ravens on Sunday, the Bengals have set themselves up to win the AFC North.

Yeah, yeah I know – the Steelers have yet to play this week and they could have an identical record as Cincinnati if they win Monday night in Denver. They also host the Bengals next week.

But don’t forget that Cincy has already beaten Pittsburgh once this year and the Steelers will be coming off a short week of rest after playing what should be a very physical game against the Broncos. Plus, after playing in Pittsburgh next week, the Bengals take on well-known powerhouses in the Raiders, Browns and Lions, and also have the Chiefs in Week 16. If they can beat the Steelers next week, they’re set up for an 11 or 12-win season.

The Bengals owe most of their success to Cedric Benson and an underrated defense. Benson rushed 34 times for 117 yards and a touchdown in the win over Baltimore and is now on pace for 1,674 yards and 12 scores. He has really found himself in Cincinnati after stealing paychecks in Chicago.

The defense has been exceptional as well. To hold a potent Baltimore offense to only seven points is quite an accomplishment and the job Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall did on the Ravens’ receivers was outstanding. Joe Flacco had no one to throw to because his receivers couldn’t get open and he wound up throwing two interceptions. All in all, it was an impressive performance by a Bengals team that has its sights on a division title.

On the other side, this was a punch to the gut for the Ravens, who thought they had ironed out some issues with their win over the Broncos last Sunday. But they ran into a well-rested, well-prepared Cincinnati team that clearly has their number this season.

In the weeks leading up to the kickoff the 2008 NFL Season, I’ll take a look at position groups that could potentially lift teams to new heights, or bury them and their postseason hopes. Today I take a look at how the Cincinnati Bengals have re-built their secondary through the draft, although the safety position still looks like a potential weakness.

It’s no secret the strength of the Cincinnati Bengals resides on offense. With Carson Palmer, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson running the show offensively, the Bengals haven’t had an issue lighting up the scoreboard over the past three seasons. It’s keeping opponents from light up the scoreboard that’s been the problem in Cincinnati.

The Bengals have made a collective effort to improve their defense in the past three drafts, using their last three first round picks on that side of the ball. In 2006, Cincy selected South Carolina corner Jonathan Joseph with their first round pick and in 2007 the Bengals took another defensive back with their first pick in Michigan’s Leon Hall. This past draft, the team tabbed USC outside linebacker Keith Rivers in the first round.

But back to the secondary.

Outside of being suspended one game for violating the league’s substance abuse policy in October, Joseph took considerable steps in his development in only his second year. After recording 58 tackles and no interceptions as a rookie in 2006, Joseph totaled 62 stops and four picks last year.

Hall proved many draft pundits wrong after snagging five interceptions, a forced fumble and 69 tackles as a rookie last season. Several so-called experts made claims that Hall was overrated and would get exposed by NFL receivers, but he more than held his own and was one of the best first round picks in 2007.

While Joseph and Hall are developing into a nice tandem at corerback, the Bengals’ safety position is a weakness. The team lost veteran safety Madieu Williams to free agency in the offseason and while he under performed last year, he was still a productive player and a solid starter. Set to replace Williams is Marvin White, a 2007 fourth round pick who lacks experience and top end speed. But he made plenty of plays collegially at TCU and the team hopes that playmaking ability will transfer to the NFL.

Youngster Chinedum Ndukwe was giving veteran Dexter Jackson all he could handle for the Bengals’ starter at strong safety, but a knee injury has sidelined Ndukwe and it appears Jackson’s job is safe for now. While Jackson has starting experience, he’s limited in coverage, which could spell trouble with White still trying to learn the free safety position.

Depending on how the safeties perform this year, the Bengals could have one of the better young defensive backfields in the league. But another potential issue is that the front seven isn’t expected to produce much of a pass rush. And it won’t matter how good this young secondary is if the quarterback has all day to throw.