Joe Burrow’s “this is it” for winning a Super Bowl message echoes loudly today, perhaps more so than when the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback said it during training camp.
The Bengals can’t play like they did in Sunday’s 30-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers too many more times and expect to win a championship this season.
One self-inflicted mistake after another. Welcome back to reality, but certainly no need to sound the alarms at Paycor Stadium.
Still, it was hard not to think here we go again when the Bengals’ Cedric Johnson plowed into Steelers punter Cameron Johnston's leg in the third quarter for a roughing penalty, and Aaron Rodgers proceeded to make Cincinnati pay with a touchdown pass to put his team up, 24-20.
It was hard not to think
same-ol’-Bengals when Cincinnati’s Ke'Shawn Williams tried to field a punt with his face, and the Steelers turned it into a game-tying field goal in the fourth quarter.
And then Burrow fumbled with less than a minute left in the game, erasing any hope of a magical comeback victory and undoubtedly making the skeptics think: See, the Bengals aren’t that good.
“We just can’t shoot ourselves in the foot like that,” Burrow told reporters. “You can’t win in this league when you do that.”
And that’s the bottom line in a league that throws a parity party every Sunday. Even a mediocre team can beat a good a team – especially in a rivalry game. That’s exactly what happened in the stadium located at the confluence of three big, muddy rivers.
The Bengals handed their AFC North rival 10 easy points in the second half. So be it. Onward to Week 4. These are fixable mistakes. These aren’t results of talent and culture issues like the Bengals had on their defense last year, when they lacked leadership, a winning mentality and had systemically poor tackling.
Burrow played his best game of the season, throwing three TDs. That's a big deal, him heating up as the calendar flips to October. The rebuilt defense wasn’t as good as it was the first two weeks, and it’s a little concerning that Steelers running back Jaylen Warren rushed for 127 yards – and with a bum shoulder, no less. Still, the Bengals' defense didn’t totally collapse and lose the game as it did time and again the previous few seasons.
Clean up the mistakes and bounce back next week. That’s what good teams do. That’s what championship teams do. It’ll be a test for coach Zac Taylor this week ahead of facing a potential playoff team in Jacksonville on Sunday at Paycor Stadium.
Now, if the Bengals rough the punter and muff a punt again and it costs them a win vs. the Jaguars, then it’ll be time to be a little concerned. Well, maybe. Burrow has ingrained a championship-or-bust mentality in this team. It’s hard to see a team with winners like Burrow and Dexter Lawrence II unraveling. And let’s give Taylor credit. His strength is getting the Bengals to rally together when things get tough.
This is where the importance of that 2-0 start comes into play for the Bengals. They gave themselves a little room for error. It can’t be stressed enough that Burrow is healthy, unlike last season at this point when he was out after suffering a toe injury in Week 2.
Everything’s fine. It really is.
Contact columnist Jason Williams at jwilliams@enquirer.com
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Same ol' Cincinnati Bengals? No, just bad day in Pittsburgh | Williams
