The Cincinnati Bengals defence is ruining Joe Burrow’s legacy with…
The Cincinnati Bengals are a team that should be on the rise, with a quarterback like Joe Burrow leading the charge. Burrow, one of the most talented and composed quarterbacks in the league, has already shown flashes of greatness and has the potential to cement himself as one of the all-time greats in NFL history. However, the one glaring issue that continues to haunt the Bengals’ playoff aspirations is the Bengals’ defence—a unit that seems to be constantly sabotaging Burrow’s legacy and the team’s championship hopes.
The Burrow Effect
Joe Burrow arrived in Cincinnati with huge expectations, and he has delivered in many ways. He led the Bengals to the Super Bowl in just his second year, a feat that few expected. His calm demeanour, pinpoint accuracy, and clutch performances in big moments have already made him a household name. With a talented receiving core and a stellar offence, Burrow appeared poised to become a consistent contender for the AFC Championship and even a Super Bowl victory.
But the defence—a supposed area of strength for Cincinnati—has too often let Burrow down. The lack of defensive consistency and failure to perform in key moments have put Burrow in impossible positions, leading to squandered opportunities and a seemingly endless cycle of disappointment.
The Heartbreaking Pattern
Each season, we see a familiar pattern: Burrow plays at an elite level, putting up impressive numbers and engineering game-winning drives, only for the defense to fail when it matters most. Whether it’s a last-minute collapse, missed tackles, or an inability to get off the field on third downs, the defence has become an ongoing thorn in the side of the Bengals’ offence.
One of the most egregious examples of this came last season when Burrow orchestrated multiple fourth-quarter comebacks, only for the defence to give up a game-winning drive or fail to stop an opponent’s offence in crunch time. These moments, where the defence falls short of expectations, have become a constant source of frustration for both Burrow and the Bengals faithful.
Defensive Struggles: A Legacy in Jeopardy
Joe Burrow’s legacy is already in jeopardy because of a defence that just can’t seem to get the job done. A quarterback of his calibre deserves better than to constantly be fighting an uphill battle because of a defence that can’t hold up when it matters most.
Stats don’t lie—Burrow has had to deal with one of the most inconsistent and underperforming defences in the league. Despite his remarkable performances, including multiple 400-yard games and countless game-winning drives, the lack of defensive support has led to early playoff exits and regular-season losses that should never have been the case.
