CINCINNATI — Bengals defender Joe Burrow clarified his position on where his career stands after Sunday's performance 24-0 loss for Baltimore Ravens.
A few days before the game, Burrow said that if he wanted to continue playing, he wants to have fun doing it. This has led to quite a bit of speculation about his status with the Bengals, the team that drafted him first overall in 2020.
Burrow vigorously refuted this notion.
“My comments had nothing to do with Cincinnati,” Burrow said after the game. “My comments had a lot to do with me, my thinking and football.”
After the loss, which ended Cincinnati's third straight year without a playoff berth, Burrow was as critical of himself as he had ever been following a game, even a game with a worse statistical record. He was 25 of 39 passing for 225 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown in the second half.
A week ago, Burrow thought he played “pretty close to perfection” in the loss to Buffalo Bills. Sunday against the Ravens was a different story.
“I think this is one of the worst games I’ve played,” Burrow said. “I’m honest with myself and my game, I hold myself to a high level, and today didn’t even come close.”
From the start, the cold day in Cincinnati wasn't going to be a pleasant one.
Burrow and the Bengals' offense began with an 11-play drive that put them on the brink of the red zone. However, Baltimore managed to get the pass rusher across the line of scrimmage virtually untouched. Burrow jumped up, ran back and took a 15-yard sack that sent the Bengals out of bounds.
It was the closest Cincinnati had come to a goal, although the outcome of the game was still in doubt. On the next drive, the pass is intended for the wide receiver. Ja'Marr Chase flew just high as Chase streaked across the middle of the field, causing the ball to bounce off his hands and into the hands of a Baltimore defender. Marlon Humphrey.
For the fourth time this season, the Bengals did not score a single touchdown in the first three quarters. And by the start of the fourth quarter, many fans who had braved 10-degree early-game temperatures and minus-1 winds left their snow-covered seats for warmer quarters.
Bengals offensive line coach Zac Taylor took full blame for the team's first home shutout since 2017. But Taylor added that everyone involved in the attack also bears responsibility for the defeat.
Burrow wanted to take on as much of it as possible.
“Bad football teams lose a lot, and if you want to compete for a championship and make the playoffs, your quarterback has to play better than I did today,” Burrow said.
In the locker room afterward, Burrow's teammates felt he was being too hard on himself.
“He is our engine, our source of energy,” left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.. said. “He’s the face of our organization, man. And it's hard because the reality is that it's not just about him. Many things lead to him not being able to score a point on Sunday. And so I praise him and respect the hell out of him for being the leader that he is.”
Sunday's loss also confirmed a harsh reality for Cincinnati. The Week 15 loss marked the Bengals' earliest exit from playoff contention since 2020, when they were eliminated after Week 10. A week later, Burrow suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his left knee, ending his rookie season.
Burrow and the Bengals bounced back, winning the Super Bowl in the 2021 postseason and returning to the AFC Championship Game during the 2022 playoffs.
Since then, Cincinnati has been unable to regain its status as a title contender, and Burrow has also suffered significant injuries: a torn wrist ligament in 2023 that ended his year and a toe injury suffered during Week 2 of this season that forced him to miss nine games.
Burrow said Sunday's performance was outstanding and not indicative of a player who finished last season as an MVP finalist and two-time Pro Bowl selection.
“He just loves the game,” Chase said. “He just wants to be great at the end of the day. I can respect him. But, as he told me, I will not allow him to kill himself mentally with just one game in which he played poorly.”
