The Cincinnati Bengals stumbled out of the gates to start a season again, this time taking a brutal road loss to the Cleveland Browns.
One of the worst showings of Joe Burrow’s career gave fans a major sense of deja vu considering similar struggles suffered last year during a season-opening loss to Pittsburgh.
Buy Bengals TicketsOnly time will tell if the Bengals will be able to recover from this early setback, but they don’t have long to get right — an AFC North showdown with the Baltimore Ravens looms on the schedule next.
Until then, the immediate reaction of fans and media alike says it all.
I think that's the game for the Bengals. Wouldn't overreact to how the team looked today but it sure is frustrating to sit down and watch this garbage for 3 hours.
— mike (@bengals_sans) September 10, 2023
At some point, the slow starts to the season become a concern. Something has to change in the offseason, preseason, somewhere.
Can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results.
— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) September 10, 2023
Rain or not this is an embarrassing performance for the Bengals offense. Just horrible.
— Blake Jewell (@BlakeJewellNFL) September 10, 2023
Easily the worst game of Burrow’s career and I don’t even know what we compare it to
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) September 10, 2023
The #Bengals are now 2 of 14 on third down. Not going for it this time on fourth and 5. They are tapping out.
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) September 10, 2023
The #Bengals have pulled Joe Burrow with about 4 minutes left and the #Browns running away 24-3. Cleveland's dominance over its Ohio rivals continues.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 10, 2023
How does an offense that is this talented start the season like this every year
— Blake Jewell (@BlakeJewellNFL) September 10, 2023
At some point, the slow starts to the season become a concern. Something has to change in the offseason, preseason, somewhere.
Can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results.
— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) September 10, 2023
if you are a bengals fan & thought there wouldn’t be communication issues or rust in game 1 then you simply aren’t thinking objectively. i would love a W but this isn’t surprising
— Commissioner Yas (@commissioneryas) September 10, 2023
People truly need to relax man lol
The Bengals offense stunk because Joe Burrow stunk. Joe Burrow stunk because he missed literally all of camp and is still clearly compromised out there. That’s really the long and short of it (much like last season). As Burrow improves
— Teth-Adam (@DCRezz) September 10, 2023
On the offensive side, it's pretty simple. When Burrow plays like this, you don't really have a chance in hell. Presnap penalties and QB-WR miscommunications hurt too.
Some poor punting at times and a missed field goal compound it all and made the game even harder.
— Jake Liscow (@JakeLiscow) September 10, 2023
0-1 is 0-1
Sorry they don’t factor in style points.Bengals started 0-2 last year & won the division. It is what it is. Good game 🤝
— ZIM (@zimwhodey) September 10, 2023
The Bengals looked unprepared. Use whatever rationale you wish to explain that, but the Bengals looked unprepared.
— Mo Egger (@MoEgger) September 10, 2023
The Browns players and staff came to play and the Bengals didn’t. Plain and simple.
— Ace Boogie (@NewStripeCity) September 10, 2023
Today has been a career-worst for Joe Burrow in lots of ways:
LOWEST CAREER SINGLE-GAME NUMBERS–
Yards: 148
Completions: 14
Comp%: 52.5%
QB Rating: 61.7TODAY–
Yards: 82
Completions: 14
Comp%: 45.1%
QB Rating: 52.2@WCPO #Bengals— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) September 10, 2023
I feel terrible for this Bengals defense.
Played their heart out.
Offense should be absolutely embarrassed.
— Patrick Carey (@PatCareySports) September 10, 2023
FINAL: Browns 24, #Bengals 3.
Cincinnati with six first downs and Burrow a career low passing yards (81) by a country mile.
Openers and trips to Cleveland continue to be adventures for this group.
Ugly start, next week vs Baltimore just got a touch larger.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 10, 2023
Let’s be clear
This is a complete and utter debacle #Bengals— LanceMcAlister (@LanceMcAlister) September 10, 2023
Well, they flopped in Cleveland.
An absolutely putrid performance.
Absolutely pathetic.— The Bengal Boys (@thebengalboys) September 10, 2023
Week 1 Burrow feels like Wild Card Andy.
On to Baltimore
— The Bengal Boys (@thebengalboys) September 10, 2023
Zac has called a terrible game. But we’ve seen this team bounce back before. No reason to panic. Just a bad game plan… against the Browns… again
— Johnny Bengal 🐅 (@JohnnyNIX88) September 10, 2023
At least Pittsburgh is losing?… leave me alone! I'm trying to stay positive 😂😂
— Texas Bengal (@Bigjake403) September 10, 2023
Truly not that devastated because this felt like a realistic outcome in my head.
They have a Browns problem AND a slow starts to the season problem.
This was pretty predictable, even if it absolutely sucks.
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) September 10, 2023
It’s Week 1. The quarterback sat for a month hurt and the offense didn’t play a single snap together.
They’re playing the team they match up with probably the worst in the league.
There’s no way you guys expected perfection Week 1. https://t.co/kqPwOkOz2A
— Drew Garrison (@DrewGarrison) September 10, 2023
The sky is not falling in my opinion.
Joe Burrow is 1-3 in season openers & Zac Taylor is 1-4.
Each year the team seems to evolve for the better as the season progresses.
I wouldn’t say I’m quite at a positive Polly level, but I’m not worried just yet.— Elise Jesse (@EliseJesseTV) September 10, 2023
