Cincinnati Bengals: Is Joe Burrow not receiving enough blame? The Bengals’ 2024 season kicked off with disappointment as they fell to the New England Patriots, 16-10, in a home game that left fans questioning the team’s direction.
In his return from a season-ending wrist injury, Burrow struggled, posting only 164 passing yards. The Patriots outperformed the Bengals in total yards, gaining 290 to Cincinnati’s 224.
Is it time to hit the panic button for the Bengals? Many fans and analysts are beginning to express concerns.
On a recent episode of “The Facility,” cohost James Jones shared his thoughts, suggesting that Burrow has been shielded from criticism that other star quarterbacks face. He remarked, “Joe Burrow has not been good the past two years. He was 5-5 last year and then went out with an injury. Then, they [Bengals] went 4-3 without Joe Burrow. Joe Burrow without top, elite wide receivers is average.” He emphasized that while Burrow’s Super Bowl appearance is often highlighted, it overshadows his recent struggles. “You just lost to the Patriots. There’s a lot of people that picked the Patriots probably not to win one game this year.”
Jones continued, stating, “You’re supposed to be the second-best quarterback in football. Everybody praises you as the only one that can challenge Patrick Mahomes. Well, the last year and a half, you have not been a good quarterback. If it was any other quarterback, we wouldn’t keep saying, ‘oh man, if this, if that.’ No, the man’s got to play better.”
Before his injury last season, Burrow recorded 2,309 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions, with a passer rating of 91.0 across ten games.
In 2021, Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, but lost to the same team in the AFC title game the following year. He amassed over 4,400 passing yards and 34 touchdowns in both seasons. However, Cincinnati missed the playoffs last year, and Burrow’s rookie season was cut short due to a torn ACL after just ten games.
Burrow has benefited from elite wide receivers like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Chase, despite ongoing contract extension discussions, played in Week 1 and has been a Pro Bowler in each of his three NFL seasons. Higgins has also shown impressive performance, exceeding 1,000 receiving yards in both 2021 and 2022. This past offseason, the Bengals lost veteran Tyler Boyd to the Tennessee Titans, who have since hired former Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their head coach.
Currently, the Bengals hold a record of 29-23-1 in the regular season and 5-2 in the postseason with Burrow at the helm. They are set to face the reigning two-time Super Bowl champion Chiefs next Sunday, a game that could further define Burrow’s performance this season.
