Joe Burrow had the ball in his hands 54 times, threw for 428 yards and guided the Cincinnati Bengals into the red zone late in the game. But none of it was enough. The Bengals fell 22-17 to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday after their running game produced just 23 yards and two turnovers helped swing the game. With Cincinnati trying to find a way back, the offense leaned heavily on Burrow’s arm. When asked if the Bengals needed to find more balance, his answer was anything but a call for more rushing attempts.
What did Joe Burrow say about Zac Taylor’s play-calling?
Burrow was asked about Cincinnati’s lack of balance after the loss. His response was simple: “Let’s throw more. Because I know we’re great at it.”
The quarterback explained that the Bengals did not need to approach every game the same way. Some matchups could demand a heavy rushing attack, while another could force him to throw close to 60 times. For Burrow, the answer depended on how the game unfolded. That was important after Cincinnati managed only 23 rushing yards against Jacksonville. The Bengals could not get much going on the ground, while Burrow kept moving the offense with his arm.
Taylor shared a similar explanation from the sideline. He said the Bengals could call 30 runs, but if those plays kept producing short gains, the offense would face difficult down and distance situations. He did not view the pass-heavy approach as a decision that had to carry into the next game.
Joe Burrow took responsibility for the mistake
The Bengals had chances to change the result. Burrow’s second interception came in the red zone, when Foyesade Oluokun picked off a pass with Cincinnati threatening to score.
Burrow did not point to the play-calling after the mistake. “That’s just a bad play by me,” he said. Cincinnati had one more chance late in the fourth quarter. Burrow drove the Bengals into Jacksonville territory after Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins had left the game with injuries. The drive reached the Jaguars’ 12-yard line, but Chase Brown was stopped short on fourth-and-10.
The loss dropped Cincinnati to 2-2 after its 2-0 start. Burrow did not sound ready to panic over the record. “This isn’t Armageddon or anything. We’re still in a great spot and feel really good about our team,” he said. But he was not interested in taking comfort from the performance alone. “We’re not here for moral victories. This is the NFL. No excuses,” Burrow said.