Burrow: 'Fun' comments weren't aimed at Cincy

CINCINNATI -- Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow clarified his position on where things stand in his career following Sunday's 24-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

In the days leading up to the game, Burrow said that if he wants to keep playing, he wants to have fun doing it. That sparked considerable speculation about his status with the Bengals, the team that drafted him first overall in 2020.

Burrow firmly squashed that notion.

"My comments had nothing to do with Cincinnati," Burrow said after the game. "My comments had everything to do with me and my mindset and football."

But after the loss that sealed Cincinnati's third straight year without a playoff berth, Burrow was as critical of himself as he's ever been following game, even those with worse statistical lines. He was 25-of-39 passing for 225 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown in the second half.

One week ago, Burrow thought he played "pretty close to perfect" in a defeat against the Buffalo Bills. That was not the case Sunday against the Ravens.

"I think this is one of the worst games that I've played," Burrow said. "I'm honest with myself and my play and I hold myself to high standard and today didn't come close."

From the outset, Sunday's frigid day in Cincinnati was not shaping up to be a pleasant one.

Burrow and Cincinnati's offense started the game with an 11-play drive that put the Bengals on the verge of the red zone. However, Baltimore was able to get a pass rusher free through the line of scrimmage virtually untouched. Burrow scrambled, ran backwards and took a 15-yard sack that knocked the Bengals out of field goal range.

That was the closest Cincinnati got to scoring while the game was still in question. On the next drive, a pass intended for wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase sailed a touch high as Chase streaked across the middle of the field, resulting in a ball that bounced off his hands and into the arms of Baltimore cornerback Marlon Humphrey.

For the fourth time this season, Cincinnati did not have a touchdown in the first three quarters. And by the start of the fourth quarter, many of the fans that braved the 10-degree temperature at kickoff with a wind chill of minus 1 had left their snow-dusted seats for warmer accommodations.

As the team's offensive playcaller, Bengals coach Zac Taylor took the brunt of the blame for the team's first home shutout since 2017. But Taylor added that everyone on the offense also carried responsibility for the defeat.

Burrow wanted to shoulder as much of that as he could.

"Bad football teams do losing things and if you're wanting to compete for championships and be in the playoffs, then number one, your quarterback has to play better than I did today," Burrow said.

Afterward in the locker room, Burrow's teammates felt he was being too hard on himself.

"He is our engine, our source of energy," left tackle Orland Brown Jr. said. "He's the face of our organization, man. And it's tough because reality is, it isn't just all on him. A lot of things going to, not being able to score a point on a Sunday. And so, I commend him and respect the f--- out of him for being the leader that he is."

Sunday's defeat also confirmed a chilling reality for Cincinnati. The Week 15 loss marked the earliest Cincinnati has been eliminated from playoff contention since 2020, when the Bengals were eliminated after Week 10. One week later, Burrow suffered an ACL injury in his left knee that ended his rookie season.