Bengals fans raise questions on Joe Burrow ahead of Week 5 vs Cardinals: "I'm worried it's mental for him now"

Modified Oct 03, 2023 16:24 GMT

Cincinnati Bengals v Tennessee Titans — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's struggles are worrying fans.

Joe Burrow was considered one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in the past few seasons. However, this season has been a completely different situation. After signing a five-year contract extension worth $275 million, the Bengals quarterback suffered a calf injury.

Despite Burrow not missing any time at the start of the regular season, his play has been hindered. Burrow and the Bengals hold a 1-3 record through the first four weeks of the season. The reigning AFC North champions now find themselves at the bottom of the division.

Burrow has continued to say his injury isn't the issue with a lack of production on offense. However, Cincinnati Bengals fans are worried Joe Burow may not be able to get out of this hole he had dug himself into.

The conversation on social media over the last few days has revolved around Burrow's issues. Some NFL fans feel as if the Bengals may not be able to find success this season. While others feel as if it's the curse of a lucrative contract extension that has caused the issues.

Joe Burrow sets bizarre NFL record

Joe Burrow has led his Cincinnati Bengals to success in the last two seasons. Entering his fourth season in the NFL, he was expected to do the same. Injuries are known to hinder even the best quarterbacks; Burrow's injury is doing just that.

The most recent defeat was a 27-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon. In the first four weeks of the season, Joe Burrow has averaged fewer than five yards per attempt. As per ESPN Stats & Info, he is the first quarterback in NFL history to attempt at least 150 passes and average that low of yardage.

So far this season he has completed just 87 of 151 attempted passes, which is about a 57% completion rate. He has thrown just 728 passing yards and two touchdown passes. He has thrown two interceptions and been sacked eight times. Although, the latter can be attributed to his offensive line.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was asked by reporters if Joe Burrow is able to continue to run the offense. Taylor said that his quarterback was 'healthy enough' to do so. This does give a good deal of confidence that his quarterback will be able to increase his production.

The Cincinnati Bengals will face the Arizona Cardinals this coming week which could be an opportunity to bounce back and steady the ship.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

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