The Bengals (4-8) head to Dallas this weekend to play the Cowboys (5-7) on Monday Night Football with a three percent chance of making the playoffs, despite Burrow coming off 2023 wrist surgery to put up the best numbers of his career, Ja’Marr Chase in the hunt for the receivers’ “Triple Crown” and Trey Hendrickson leading the league in sacks.
“This is a tough season, and the cornerstones of this organization are going to be remembered by more than this season,” Burrow said on Sunday after a 44-38 loss to the Steelers. “We will be remembered by how we handle this.”
Pressed further about who “the cornerstones” are, Burrow said that is still to be determined and “the next five weeks will say a lot.”
The fact there aren’t many obvious pieces to build around is why Cincinnati is in the position it is now, on a second three-game losing streak and having seven losses by a touchdown or less.
“The NFL is a what have you done for me lately league and it doesn’t matter what you did last year, it matters what you’re doing now,” Burrow said. “Some guys have played great. Other guys haven’t. The guys that watch tape every day upstairs know that better than I do, outside of the offense, which is my realm. I think the next five weeks will say a lot.”
The Bengals went into the season with much optimism around Burrow and the offense and the hope changes in the secondary would make a big impact on the defense. That’s why they were scheduled for five primetime games and three others in nationally-televised windows.
One of those games under the lights, the “Battle of Ohio” matchup with Cleveland that was set for Thursday Night Football on Dec. 19, was flexed out to the following Sunday afternoon, and this week’s game at Dallas likely would have been a candidate for that as well if it wasn’t already slated to be the Simpsons Funday Football animated alternate viewing edition.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor said the spectacle of Monday Night Football is a good opportunity for players to showcase what they are all about. Burrow still enjoys a chance to show how fun this team can be to watch, despite the record. He takes pride in being an exciting player to follow.
“I always like playing on primetime,” Burrow said. “I like showcasing my abilities and hard work and putting that on display in front of the world. So it’s always an exciting opportunity. I think whether you like it or not, how you perform on primetime games matters as far as perception across the league. That’s when people watch. That’s when most people pay attention. And so, you have to be consistent. But I think if you perform great on primetime nights, then you start to get a little different reputation across the league.”
Even without the spotlight, Burrow said there is still plenty to play for on an individual level. Even beyond those who could be playing for future contracts, there are individual accolades up for grabs for those who have consistently been playing at a high level amid the team struggles.
Burrow hopes Chase can win the “Triple Crown” but he also would find a second “Comeback Player of the Year” award meaningful after the uncertainty he faced coming back from his 2023 wrist surgery. He won it at the end of the 2021 season when he came back from a torn ACL as a rookie to lead the Bengals to the Super Bowl.
“I’m not sure there has ever been a two -time Comeback Player of the Year,” Burrow said. “It’s not exactly an award people want to be up for. But I find myself in that position. That one would mean a lot to me.”
Burrow, who unexpectedly revealed on “Hard Knocks” this week he bought a Batmobile, is playing at superhero levels. He leads the league in completions (302), pass attempts (446), passing yards (3,337) and touchdowns (30) and is on pace to surpass career-highs in all of those categories, despite all the uncertainty with how a quarterback would be impacted by a surgically-repaired wrist.
There’s still more to come, he said.
“I always expect to play at the peak of my abilities and be productive and give ourselves a chance to win,” Burrow said. “I think I’ve done that. I didn’t play as great as I wanted to early on. But that’s how it usually goes. I get better as the season goes. I think I’m playing my best ball right now.”
MONDAY’S GAME
Bengals at Cowboys, 8:15 p.m., ESPN, 700, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
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