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Cincinnati’s season is already done in the standings, but Zac Taylor made one thing clear after the 24-0 loss to the Ravens: Joe Burrow is still playing. Taylor confirmed Burrow will start the rest of the regular season, explaining it with a simple reason, they want to win.
From there, the conversation around the Bengals has shifted to something heavier than Week 16 game plans. ESPN noted multiple theories are circulating in the league about Burrow after he followed last week’s gloomy news conference with a rough showing in the shutout loss that eliminated Cincinnati from the playoffs.
Burrow has seemed unusually down, and Ja’Marr Chase even said, “You never know what he might be going through.”
A couple of people ESPN spoke to raised an Andrew Luck-style concern: a quarterback getting worn down by the cycle of injuries and rehab. Others pushed back just as strongly, saying Burrow is wired as an obsessive competitor who loves football, and that what you’re seeing is frustration with how the season has unraveled.
Either way, this offseason is enormous. Cincinnati is locked into its first losing season since Burrow’s 2020 rookie year and will miss the postseason for the third straight time. ESPN also pointed to major defensive roster questions, with high draft picks not panning out, and the coordinator change from Lou Anarumo to Al Golden not moving the needle.
That’s where Taylor’s job security comes in. Around the league, there’s speculation about whether the Bengals stay the course at head coach, and ESPN added that many believe Burrow’s relationship with Taylor is a real reason Cincinnati might keep him.
Late Sunday, Burrow did address the locker room, but multiple players declined to share what he said, according to Joe Danneman.
Burrow has never said he’s unhappy in Cincinnati and has recently made a point to say the opposite, but the body language, the quotes, and the timing are feeding the noise. The Bengals’ priority should be to stabilize the defense, protect the quarterback, and make sure their centerpiece still feels like this is worth the fight.
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