Cincinnati can’t seem to catch a break. Every time their star quarterback Joe Burrow takes the field, hope surges through the Queen of the West. Every time he doesn’t, chaos follows. Burrow’s absence since Week 2 with a Grade 3 turf toe has sent the Bengals spiraling again. And now, according to one NFL analyst, a return for the QB could depend on the team’s performance from here on out. 

Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports painted a grim picture for the team in his latest projection. According to him, the Bengals are 3-6 and heading towards a 6-11 finish. 

“Don’t expect Joe Burrow to play again this season unless the Bengals start winning games,” DeArdo wrote. 

ESPN’s Adam Schefter only fueled the fire when he asked the question no one in Cincy wanted to say out loud: could Burrow want out? 

“How do you think Joe Burrow feels about the Bengals’ defense and the offensive line that’s protecting him?” Schefter said on Get Up. “We have no idea what he wants, but if that’s what he wants, it’s over … Any player, when they’re determined enough, if they want out, they’re gonna get out.”

From predictions to a delayed arrival under hypothetical playoff chances to speculation over whether Burrow wanted out of the team, if even partly true, this news could serve as a major setback to his return.

If another losing season convinces Burrow that Cincinnati won’t ever protect him properly, the Bungles may have more to worry about than just missing the playoffs. Because the Bengals are stuck in the same loop, they thought they’d escaped.

Backup quarterback Jake Browning stepped up after Burrow went down. But after four straight losses to the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, and the Green Bay Packers, it was clear he wasn’t the answer. Then came a move that felt a little desperate: trading for veteran Joe Flacco. 

Upon his arrival, for just one week, it paid off. Flacco beat Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The city dared to believe maybe, just maybe, this season wasn’t lost. But then, the reality returned with losses to the New York Jets and Chicago Bears, shrinking playoff hopes down to a flickering ember. 

This run shed light upon just how contrasting their performances were with and without their star, Burrow. No one knew this better than head coach Zac Taylor himself.

Zac Taylor’s struggle without Joe Burrow

Since taking the job in 2019, Taylor’s career has ridden on Burrow’s back. With the quarterback, their record has been 45-32-1 including the playoffs. But without him, the record stands at 9-28. This year fits the script. They began 2-0 with Burrow, then fell to 1-6 after his injury. 

Still, Taylor insists he’s staying the course, even as the defense collapses week after week. When pressed about staff changes, he doubled down. 

“We’ve been through this situation many years and come out the other side, playing for championships, winning divisions, by sticking with what we believe in and not doing what everybody wants you to do,” Taylor said. 

That belief might read as loyalty or plain stubbornness, depending on how forgiving Cincy feels after another meltdown.

“I’m thankful that in 2020 that they didn’t kick me out of here, so we were able to go to the Super Bowl the next year,” Taylor added. “I believe in the people that we’ve hired…I understand the frustration. I get it. I’d be frustrated too if I was outside the building.”

Taylor’s words were calm, collected, and practical. But the reality remains, without Joe Burrow, the Bengals can’t seem to keep a decent record. If the Queen City’s golden boy doesn’t come back this year, or worse, decides he’s done with Cincy entirely, it would certainly be bad news for the team.