The Cincinnati Bengals’s hope for the playoffs took a massive blow when they lost to the Chargers in Week 11. The defense needed to just stop the Chargers from gaining 44-yards, However, they were unable to do so and eventually gave up 84 in 27 seconds. With this, the team slipped to 4-7 in the NFL standings. And as obvious, fans are fumed now, wanting the coach Zac Taylor to be fired from the franchise.

But is coach Taylor’s only problem that he isn’t fixing the issues on defense? Or there’s more? Bengals’s legend Eric Thomas cited some of the problems of the team, by giving a strong message to the HC to save Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase’s season. During a recent appearance at the Bengal Jim & Friends Tailgate Experience show, Thomas sent a message to Taylor, “This is dissecting. You are the play caller man! Give it up, man! Coach the team. Be the head coach of your team. They need you. They need you to be the head coach.”

Continuing his powerful message for the coach, the 60-year-old said, “They don’t need to call plays. They need you to pay attention to that whole team, to make sure all of them are on the same page about what we’re doing here, about trying to win a game.” He concluded his requests by saying, “Let’s get this thing right.”

In addition to that, he also suggested the team give Chase a full contract. Furthermore, he asked the team to consider benching quarterback Joe Burrow for the remainder of the season to protect him from further injuries, especially if the hits he is taking continue to pile up. Hence, in this way, according to him, Burrow can be saved and used when the team is playing critical games.

In the last loss to the Chargers, Burrow finished the game with 356 passing yards, 28 rushing yards, and three touchdowns. It’s not like he isn’t playing well. Burrow is working hard to finish the games with wins, but the real problem is arguably his team, besides the coaching strategies.

Joe Burrow is stuck in a difficult team?

Joe Burrow is taking a beating, and it’s hard to watch. This isn’t just about missed blocks or failed protection schemes – it’s about heart. Where’s the fight? Where’s the fire from his offensive line? This is evident from what happened in Week 10 against the Ravens. At that game, Burrow was hit repeatedly, even after the whistle.

Helmet shots, facemask grabs, and uncalled late hits – it was all there. But what was not there was his team. The worst part? His line just walked back to the huddle, play after play, like nothing happened. According to reporter Chris Roling, no one stepped up, no one defended their quarterback. And so, it’s high time for the OL to step up first for the quarterback and the games they are playing. And even coach Zac Taylor needs to step up first to balance in between the offensive and defensive lines of the Bengals.

Quarterback Burrow is out there giving everything for this team, but how long can he keep doing it alone? Until his line starts standing up for him, these hits won’t stop, and even Burrow will not be able to give the expected results to Cincinnati. The whole team needs to evaluate themselves for sure!