The Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) have been one of the NFL’s most disappointing teams this season. They were expected to compete alongside the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North crown. Instead, they’re fighting to avoid elimination from the postseason hunt this week on Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys.
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Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has done all he possibly could to lift Cincinnati out of an early season hole. He’s a top-five passer by almost every metric you can find. Despite it all, his team’s only victories have come against franchises in last place in their respective division.
Amazon studio analyst Richard Sherman discussed Burrow’s season on the latest episode of his podcast. According to him, the Bengals have simply squandered Burrow’s tremendous campaign.
“Joe Burrow is being let down in such a criminal way by his defense. It’s really sad… to score 33-plus [points] in four games and lose all four of them? To have MVP numbers over 12 games and to be 4-8?… My goodness, what a wasted year for him. I can’t imagine how he feels.”
Cincinnati’s defense is hemorrhaging 28.3 points per game, second-most in the NFL. Fortunately, the Cowboys have allowed only one less point (339) than the Bengals (340) this year.
However, Cincinnati has not won this year when their opponent has scored more than 24 points. If Cooper Rush can exceed that threshold on Monday, the Bengals may find themselves on the wrong end of a shootout once again.
Joe Burrow could be MVP if Cincinnati had a better record
Sherman’s comments on Burrow came during a conversation about the 2024 MVP race. Right now, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is the favorite to capture the award. Sherman isn’t convinced Allen will earn the honors because his production – compared to most MVP winners – is relatively pedestrian.
“I just don’t know what it’s based off of anymore, you know? It used to be based on elite stats… and really, really special performances. Josh Allen’s team is having a special performance, and [he has] performed special in certain games – not that he’s playing bad football by any stretch of the imagination… but MVP-level used to be held to a higher regard.”
Allen and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson are the signal-callers with the best odds, per FanDuel Sportsbook, to win MVP through Week 13. Statistically, Burrow is on the same plane as or better than both men as a passer.
- Josh Allen: 230/356 (64.6%), 224.3 passing yards per game, 20 touchdowns, five interceptions, 100.3 passer rating
- Lamar Jackson: 254/379 (67.0), 253.1 passing yards per game, 29 touchdowns, three interceptions, 116.3 passer rating
- Joe Burrow: 302/446 (67.7%), 278.1 passing yards per game, 30 touchdowns, five interceptions, 107.4 passer rating
Burrow’s rushing numbers don’t compare to Allen’s or Jackson’s, but he’s no slouch there. He’s averaging 4.8 yards per carry and had an impressive 47-yard touchdown run against the Giants in Week 6. That’s a longer rush than both Jackson (39 yards) and Allen (26) have recorded this season.
Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase are posting what may end up as the best statistical years of their careers. You’d think that would mean Cincinnati was earmarked for a trip to Super Bowl 59. But the Bengals’ defensive struggles altered their destination to where fans will be come playoff time: the couch.
