The Loss Of Joe Burrow Has Brought On The Return Of The Cincinnati Bungles

There was the moment during their Monday Night debacle against the Denver Broncos when the Cincinnati Bengals were on offense and hoping to pass the ball. The Broncos rushed three guys, and somehow Cincy's offensive linemen decided to block one of those with four guys of their own.

The problem with that is it left Denver's outside rushers one-on-one, and both of them met at the quarterback for a sack. It was one of three sacks Denver collected this game, but it was more than that.

Cincinnati Bungles Have Returned

It was a picture of poor coaching and poor execution and, yes, embarrassment.

The Cincinnati Bungles are back.

This season started with so much promise for the Bengals. Quarterback Joe Burrow got through a training camp and preseason unscathed. All contract disagreements were settled on offense and defense before the regular-season opener.

And the Bengals started fast – a major focus for coach Zac Taylor – by winning their first two games.

But in that second win, Burrow left with what was later diagnosed as a severe turf toe injury. He required surgery and OutKick has reported he's effectively done playing for the season.

You know what happened next?

Bengals Not Same Without Burrow

Losing two straight games.

Getting outscored 76-13 in those games.

The offense looking impotent. And the defense, which usually needs major help from the offense, looking like a turnstile incapable of stopping anyone from getting to the end zone.

The coup de grâce so far was Monday night's 28-3 thrashing at the hooves of the Broncos. 

The Bengals gave up 512 yards on defense but at least their offense was similarly ineffective. They could barely pass the ball, gaining 106 net yards, but at least their running game stunk.

And we're trying to be cute here, but there was nothing cute about it for Cincy's players.

"It's hard, it's hard," All-Pro receiver Ja'Marr Chase said afterward. "Knowing the type of offense we have, the type of weapons we have in the backfield and outside … We know we're a downfield threat team. And everybody else knows it. But right now we're facing a little adversity and we got to figure it out."

Ja'Marr Chase Frustrated

Chase was looking like he wanted Taylor to figure it out during the game when he approached the coach and started an animated conversation that was caught by the television cameras.

Chase insisted he and the coach were "talking about the possessions," which obviously weren't going well.

"What plays we could run and how we could attack certain coverages," Chase said. "And get our playmakers the ball."

Chase meant getting himself and Tee Higgins the ball – but mostly him. And that didn't happen. He caught five passes for 23 yards.

"I'm always frustrated if I'm losing," Chase said. "It's part of the game. Sometimes your emotions take over. Sometimes it looks like it's not supposed to. But, yeah, it happens.

After the game, Taylor downplayed the exchange.

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 30: Ja'Marr Chase #1 and head coach Zac Taylor of the Cincinnati Bengals meet during training camp on July 30, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Taylor Appeases But Doesn't Help

"Ja’Marr Chase, coming off a game like this, is one of my favorite players to deal with, quite frankly," Taylor told reporters, "because he’s just competitive. He just wants to win, and it comes across as emotional, but that’s just a captain that works his tail off."

Yeah, that's a coach trying to appease a star with words because he can't appease him with help.

The Bengals are, to use football vernacular, screwed.

Backup quarterback Jake Browning is middling. The pass protection is middling. The defense is middling. And the preparation from Taylor's staff has been middling.

That's a recipe for a lost season filled with precious few ups and seemingly overwhelming downs. And, frankly, the calls for the Bengals to trade for Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson are falling on deaf ears so far because they have probably rightly decided importing a struggling backup quarterback to replace their current struggling backup quarterback isn't going to resolve much.

So, yeah, the Bungles are back.

Get used to it, Cincinnati.