The Cincinnati Bengals were penciled in as a Super Bowl contender this season.
Fast forward to today, and they’re 4-8.
The playoffs seem like a long shot for Zac Taylor’s team right now.
The Bengals usually start slow under Taylor, but they never took off this season.
Of course, most of that concerns their defense, as Joe Burrow and the offense have been as good as ever.
Nevertheless, even though he’s posted MVP-caliber numbers, Shannon Sharpe doesn’t want to give him a pass.
In Tuesday’s edition of ESPN’s “First Take,” Sharpe made a case for people holding Joe Burrow accountable for the losses.
.@ShannonSharpe isn’t making excuses for Joe Burrow and the 4-8 Bengals 👀
“If [Joe Burrow] is what we’re saying he is, he has to overcome that.” 😤 pic.twitter.com/rLUyGC8f9U
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 3, 2024
He argued that Burrow gets too much of a pass for going to the Super Bowl and losing.
He does have a valid point there.
Then again, it’s almost impossible to blame the quarterback when you look at his numbers, not to mention that it’s unfair.
Burrow has completed almost 68% of his passes for 3,337 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
He currently leads the league in passing attempts, passing completions, passing yards, yards per game, and passing touchdowns.
He also has a QBR of 73.9, the highest in his career.
The Bengals have put up 33, 34, and 38 points (twice) in losses this season.
That’s not on the quarterback, even if some turnovers have been costly or crucial.
Burrow does need to be held accountable, but if you look at the numbers and the games, he’s by no means to blame for this disappointing season.
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Joe Burrow’s Pregame Outfit On Sunday Had Fans Talking
