Joe Burrow clarifies recent comments, reaffirms confidence in Bengals

A little over three years ago, Joe Burrow threw a game-winning touchdown pass that gave the Bengals their third straight victory over the Chiefs. It was a much different experience Sunday as Cincinnati was blanked 24-0 by the Ravens in a loss that gave Burrow and Co a third straight non-playoff season.

Despite the loss and his recent comments That led to questions about his future in Cincinnati, with Burrow saying he “has a lot of confidence” in the Bengals’ front office.

“I know how hard people work and we have the right people,” Burrow said via a team transcript. “It starts with players playing better, and today that was me.”

Burrow was asked if he still enjoys playing for the Bengals, which was in reference to his comments before Sunday’s game.

“My comments had nothing to do with Cincinnati,” he said. “They had everything to do with me, my mindset and football.”

Burrow’s comments about confidence in the Bengals will likely be met with skepticism given that Cincinnati is in the midst of a third straight season that has fallen well short of expectations.

Since reaching a second straight AFC title game in 2022, the Bengals are just 22-26, including a 5-11 mark in games Burrow didn’t start. Cincinnati started 2-0 this season before winning just one of its nine games while Burrow was sidelined with turf toe. At 4-10, the Bengals are assured of their worst season since 2020, Burrow’s rookie season.

Disappointing drafts, questionable roster decisions, tumultuous contract situations with key players, injuries to Burrow and other star players and a historically bad defense all played some part in Cincinnati going from one of the best teams in the NFL to one of the worst in three years.

Like the Bengals, Burrow also continues to have great confidence in his own abilities after what he admitted was one of the worst games of his career. He dismissed the question of whether or not his play had declined in recent years.

“No, I’m very confident in the way I play,” he said. “Obviously today, in my opinion, he’s an outlier. I think I’ve always been great for years and years and years.”

Burrow is right. Although his last few games haven’t been at his usual level, the former Heisman Trophy winner has proven to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Last year, for example, he led the NFL in passing yards and touchdown passes en route to winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year for the second time.

Injuries largely hampered Burrow during his first six seasons, however. Cincinnati’s struggles to build a competitive team around him over the last few years haven’t helped either.

In many ways, Sunday’s game was a microcosm of Burrow and the Bengals’ season. While Burrow was out, he received no help from his receiving corps, which dropped a handful of catchable passes. Ja’Marr Chase, in particular, was the culprit in a few drops that contributed to the Bengals staying off the scoreboard despite four drives that went inside the Baltimore 35-yard line.

Burrow was also hounded all day by a Ravens pass rush who entered the game with just 18 sacks. The pressure largely contributed to Burrow’s second interception: a pick-six that made the score 24-0.

Ironically, the Bengals actually received a solid game from their defense that included notable efforts from 2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy, third-year defensive back Jordan Battle and rookie Demetrius Knight Jr.

The Bengals offense, however, was unable to capitalize on the defense’s performance. The reason is quite simple, at least from Burrow’s perspective.

“Because we haven’t been a good football team,” he said. “Bad football teams lose things. If you want to compete for championships and make the playoffs, then number one, your quarterback has to play better than I did today.”

Burrow was asked if he was carrying too much of a burden on a team that didn’t have much success before him and struggled to maintain early success with him at center.

“I want everything on my plate,” he said. “That’s the position I want to be in. I have confidence in all these guys in the locker room. Like I said, no team in the NFL would have won the game today if I was the quarterback.”

While Burrow has reaffirmed his allegiance to Cincinnati, it’s clear — given how the last three seasons have gone — that the Bengals need to make changes moving forward if they want to take advantage of Burrow’s remaining years under contract.