The Cincinnati Bengals selected LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the first-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was the obvious pick and we all remember it because it was the COVID Zoom draft. And so far, Burrow is been everything the Bengals could have asked for and more.
Despite the team’s middle-of-the-road 9-8 season last year that had them narrowly miss the playoffs, Burrow was still an unmitigated stud. If not for Josh Allen‘s amazing season with the Buffalo Bills, Burrow was probably the NFL MVP with 4,918 yards, 43 touchdowns and just nine picks. That’s insanity; he’s holding up his end of the bargain.
Are the Bengals holding up theirs?
Not according to NFL analyst Louis Riddick, who said on ESPN’s Get Up that the Brown family is wasting Burrow’s prime years.
“As measured by getting to Super Bowls and being true Super Bowl contenders? Of course they are, because we know this is a team game,” Riddick said. And as much as we want to pin Cincinnati’s shortcomings on the quarterback, on Joe Burrow, like we do with every franchise, when a team doesn’t ultimately make it to the promised land and win it, we blame it on the QB.
He’s right, but for the record, anyone in the media blaming Burrow for anything ever should be removed from their job. If a journalist even blames Burrow for taking the last donut, they should be sent to the mail room.
Louis Riddick states the obvious with the Bengals
Riddick is one of the more astute NFL analysts in the media sphere today. Who can forget his epic silencing of Mel Kiper, Jr. on NFL Draft Weekend a few months ago? Kiper couldn’t stop crying about the slide of Shedeur Sanders and Riddick had had enough: “Mel, the draft has spoken.” I can’t love that enough.
Riddick is an experienced, sober opinion on the NFL and he touted Burrow as “a top two, top three most talented thrower in the league.” But, as many of us can see, Burrow ain’t the problem. As per usual, all fingers point to the Bengals.
“The organization right now is failing to build a strong 53-man roster that can compete with the elite teams,” Riddick said.
Stevie Wonder could see that, Louis.
The offensive line is a huge problem
Some would argue that the Bengals have helped Burrow tremendously by drafting and signing wide receivers like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. They’d be correct; they are superstars.
But what about the rest of the team? The defense was 25th in the NFL last year in points and yards allowed. They were seventh from the bottom of the league in sacks with 36. Guess who had 17.5 of those? Right, the guy that doesn’t want to play for the Bengals anymore.
That’s not even to mention the putrescent offensive line. And, what did they do to upgrade it this offseason? They threw a third-round pick at a guard. That’s fine, but you’re not done here, are you?
Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis presents some really disturbing statistical information about Burrow’s protection. He broke it down recently on X.
“I don’t even know what to say, this is ridiculous,” he posted. Bengals OL rank in pass block win rate by year:
2021: #30
2022: #30
2023: #27
2024: #32
no other OL comes close to this putrid
only OL to rank #25 or worse 4 straight years”
Well, it sounds bad when you put it that way, Warren. The Bengals aren’t going to waste Burrow’s prime; they are wasting Burrow’s prime. And he’s well aware of it, just watch his post-game press conferences. Even after wins he sounds like he doesn’t want to be there.
NFL Analyst Critical of Bengals’ Handling of Superstar