Joe Burrow on Back-to-Back Losses: ‘This Isn’t Armageddon’

Two weeks ago, Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals were 2-0 and alone at the top of the AFC North. After back-to-back fourth-quarter losses to Pittsburgh and Jacksonville, they are 2-2 and tied at the bottom with the Steelers.

Sunday’s 22-17 loss to the Jaguars was a tough pill to swallow. The Bengals finished with 437 total yards, while Joe Burrow threw for 428 yards. But they struggled in the red zone, managed only 23 rushing yards, and lost both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to injuries.

Despite the Bengals falling back to .500, Burrow believes there is no reason to panic. The quarterback was asked about his mindset after the team’s second straight loss on Sunday.

“We had our opportunities in the last two weeks, but certainly this isn’t Armageddon or anything,” Burrow said. “We’re still in a great spot, and I feel really good about our team. … You can’t ride the roller coaster week to week.”

Joe Burrow speaks to the media following Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. https://t.co/WB6B32oPG2

Burrow knows there is still a lot of football left to play. Cincinnati has dropped two straight, but the QB is confident in the team heading into Week 5.

“We’re very confident. We’re 2-2, but nobody wins a championship after Week 4. … I was proud of us fighting back there in that fourth quarter,” Burrow added. “Obviously, you’d like to get it done. We’re not here for moral victories. This is the NFL. So no excuses.”

Ja’Marr Chase suffered a concussion in the second quarter, while Tee Higgins picked up an adductor injury in the fourth. That left Burrow with backup receivers and tight ends for the final drive. While the quarterback could not complete the comeback, he praised his remaining weapons after the game.

“When a guy like Ja’Marr goes out, it’s going to be tough. But those guys came in and really stepped up. Dohnte and Mitch, Tanner, Mike,” Burrow said.

Burrow said he felt good about the final drive after connecting on two big plays to start it. However, he needed to review the tape to understand what went wrong on the first three downs before the failed fourth-down play.

The three-time Pro Bowler also revealed that the fourth-down call was designed for Chase Brown. Burrow saw Brown matched up one-on-one, found him in space, and made the throw. But the Jaguars made a good tackle to stop the play short.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!