The Cincinnati Bengals are certainly in the running as the most disappointing team in the NFL through the first month of the season. Not many people would have predicted them to be 1-3 at this point, as they got destroyed by the Tennessee Titans in Week 4, 28-3.
What is even more shocking is the areas in which the Bengals are struggling. Their offense has yet to get going as Joe Burrow looks like a shell of the player he has become the last few seasons. A nagging calf injury certainly plays a part in that as his training camp schedule was derailed because of it.
Burrow hurt his calf in late July and was sidelined for six weeks. He was able to get enough practice in to be ready for the regular season, but he doesn’t look comfortable on the field yet. Re-aggravating the injury once certainly hasn’t helped as he looks far from being 100 percent healthy.
The proof is in his production. Burrow is currently playing below replacement level currently as arguably the least productive starting quarterback in the NFL. According to NFL Rookie Watch on X, formerly known as Twitter, he is near the bottom of the league in multiple stats.
Burrow’s passer rating of 69.1 is lower than Zach Wilson and Desmond Ridder, two players constantly mentioned as being the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL. The Bengals’ star has fewer passing yards than Joshua Dobbs and Josh Fields and only Anthony Richardson and Jordan Love, first-time starters, have lower completion percentages.
With only two passing touchdowns, which came in the Bengals’ Week 2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Burrow is last among starters in that category as well. To say they are off to a tough start would be putting it mildly.
It has led to frustrations already boiling over in the locker room. Star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has not been happy about his usage to this point, providing some colorful commentary after this week’s loss.
If Burrow isn’t confident in his calf holding up, he is doing the team a disservice by continuing to go out and play. He isn’t giving the Bengals much of a chance to win performing as he has thus far this season, as resting him and getting back to 100 percent could be the best course of action.
