The Cincinnati Bengals fell to 1-3 on Sunday with a brutal 27-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans. For a team with justified title aspirations, it's hard to imagine a more unfortunate start to the season. Joe Burrow, on the heels of signing a record-breaking contract, is clearly not right. The whole offense has crumbled around him.
After Sunday's game, Burrow's longtime college and NFL teammate, Ja'Marr Chase, appeared to fire shots at the QB with a NSFW comment to reporters.
Chase has been on the shortlist of best receivers in the NFL since his first practice rep. He's impossible to contain one-on-one, a fact Burrow and the Bengals have exploited on numerous occasions in years past. It's easy to understand the third-year receiver's frustration, of course. He's simply not getting the ball as frequently. He has 29 catches on 41 targets for 284 yards and zero touchdowns. Chase going four weeks without a touchdown is shocking, but it's important to note that the Bengals have gone without a touchdown in two of four games.
For his career, Chase averages 14.1 yards per catch. That number is down to 9.8 this season.
The comments from Chase did not go entirely unanswered, as Burrow appeared to allude to the WR's complaints in his post-game press conference.
"We just haven't executed the plays that have been called," Burrow said. "Whatever play is called. As long as you execute it correctly, it always has a chance."
Joe Burrow criticizes Cincinnati Bengals' offensive execution after Week 4 loss
Burrow isn't directly referencing Chase and it's easy to read his comments as self-critique as much as team-critique. The entire offense has ground to a standstill through four weeks. A lot of it falls on Burrow and his injured calf — a fact Burrow is without a doubt keenly aware of given his track record — but as the QB states, it's a team effort. Even with a half-speed QB, proper execution can compensate for a lot. The Bengals aren't executing.
The friendship between Chase and Burrow dates back to their championship run at LSU. Chase has years of unshakable rapport with Burrow built up. Emotions are running high as the season starts to fall apart, but there's no reason to believe Burrow has simply fallen off a cliff. He's hurt, and maybe that injury costs the Bengals a year of competitive status. But Burrow is 26 and Chase is 23. Those two have another decade of competitive gas in the tank, football gods willing.
This should all blow over, especially if the Bengals can turn the season around. Even if it doesn't get turned around, one has to imagine Chase and Burrow will work through any lingering tension in the locker room. That relationship has been the bedrock of two deep Cincinnati playoff runs. It has the potential to lead to many more.
