The Cincinnati Bengals entered week 11 of the 2024 NFL season with high hopes. The team has remarkable players with Joe Burrow leading the passing yards, Ja’Marr dominating the passing yards stats and Trey Hendrickson topping the sack leaderboard. Yet, their 4-7 record tells a different story. Despite Joe Burrow’s incredible performance against the Ravens and Chargers, the team is still struggling to add one more win to their court. As we question Bengals’ performance in the upcoming games, Tom Brady weighs in with his individual perspective that may answer this team’s woes.

Speaking on the Let’s Go! podcast, Tom Brady shared his candid views on the Bengals and their performance this season. While Jim Gray went on and about the individual performances, the NFL icon dismissed the same, emphasizing that football is the ultimate team sport. “No one player, coach, or stat can lead a team to victory,” he remarked.

Reflecting on his personal experiences, Brady mentioned how easily small contributions from the team can lead to a bigger impact, like field goal protection and situational awareness, can change the outcome of the game.

Despite Joe’s contributions, the Bengals have struggled to gain any wins in their last two games. In week 10, they faced off against the Baltimore Ravens where Burrow stood out with an impressive performance along with support from players like Ja’Marr and Tee Higgins. Although, it wasn’t enough, as they suffered a gut-wrenching 35-34 defeat.

The Ravens, on the other hand, capitalized on timely plays and won. The following week against the Los Angeles Chargers was also the same for the team as they recorded another 34-27 defeat and marked their second consecutive loss.

Joe Burrow shines but the Bengals still fail to record a victory

Joe Burrow has been nothing short of spectacular over the past two games. He delivered historic performances against both the Baltimore Ravens and the Chargers and still it wasn’t enough. In week 10 game, Burrow scored up 428 passing yards and 4 touchdowns, keeping the team within a striking distance until he couldn’t. The next week, against the Chargers, Burrow threw for 356 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions, yet the team stumbled to a loss.

Joe’s efforts have even landed him a place in the NFL record books, as he became the first quarterback in history to throw for over 300 yards with 3+ touchdown passes and no interceptions, but still lost both. Despite his best efforts, the Bengals’ defense failed to hold up in crucial moments. The frustration of losing was also visible in other team players like Ja’Marr Chase: “I don’t know. Ask Zac, ask the coaches. Don’t ask me,” he told the reporters after the game vs Chargers. “That’s not my job. I play football on the field. I don’t call plays for us, you know? So I can’t really do nothing.”

These losses highlight the lack of connection between Burrow’s individual and the team’s overall performance. As Brady also noted on the Let’s Go! podcast, the Bengals‘ struggles are a reflection of the reality that football is a team game. Burrow can be all about MVP-worthy numbers, but without the team’s contribution, it’s as good as nothing.