Did the Bengals Field an Injured Joe Burrow Against the Titans?

Joe Burrow made headlines in September when he became the highest-paid player in NFL history. He signed a 5-year, $275 million extension contract with his team, the Cincinnati Bengals. The NFL Comeback Player of 2021, however, has not been able to turn around the fortunes of the Bengals yet as they lost their two season opener games, one against the Cleveland Browns and the other against the Baltimore Ravens. Fans had high hopes that Burrow would be able to justify his astronomical price tag, but alas, that was not to be.

During the match against the Browns, the Bengals lost 3-24. Joe’s passes turned out to be so bad, he had to be benched after throwing 82 passing yards. But did the Bengals make a mistake making him play with a supposed injury?

Was Joe Burrow prepared for this battle?

The Bengals and Titans were both at the bottom of their division, having won one game and lost two each. In the week leading up to the match against the Titans, Burrow was listed as nursing a calf injury. However, he fully participated in all three practice sessions. Even though his status was listed as “Questionable”, fans were sure they would get to see their QB take on the Titans on Sunday.

After scoring a field goal in the first quarter, things looked bright for the Bengals. But well begun is half done, and they were unable to make further inroads into the Titans’ defense. The Titans meanwhile managed to rake in 27 points. Even though Burrow finished all 18 of his passes, he only threw for 186 yards through four weeks.

As the game entered the fourth quarter, the Titans declared that they were there to win. The game concluded with a 27-3 score. While Zac Taylor and Joe Burrow addressed the media in a post-game conference, raging fans had a lot to express. The NFL Twitter (now X), already questioning Taylor’s ineptitude, has a lot to say. Some even raised concerns that Joe Burrow “isn’t helping right now in his condition.”

Fans Slam Zac Taylor for Bengal’s Loss

In the last game, the Bengals managed to defeat the Miami Dolphins in spite of Taylor’s play-calling. But this time, the squad faced a sloppy loss and fans could not keep quiet. A post-game News Conference video shared by the Cincinnati Bengals official X became subject to some nasty comments.

A fan commented, “Fire Zac Taylor.” Another expressed in wonky fonts, “i FORGOT hOW tO cOACH aGAIN.” One mentioned, “Need a play caller with a creative game plan. Too much talent to have this record. Sickening and depressing!” Another fan shared, “Hopefully Joe decides he isn’t helping right now in his condition & will sit out next week. Start AJ.” A disheartened Bengals fan wrote, “As a long-time Bengal fan, it’s safe to say Joe Burrow is washed. I think it’s time to trade him to the 49ers for Ambry Thomas and a first.”