Joe Burrow's Absence Continues to Define Bengals' Struggles and Zac Taylor's Record

Another Bengals season appears doomed without quarterback Joe Burrow, a recurring theme under head coach Zac Taylor. Taylor's coaching record stands at 45-32-1 with Burrow, including playoffs, but a stark 9-28 without him. Burrow, the 2020 first overall pick after his Heisman and national championship at LSU, suffered a torn ACL in his rookie year. He returned in 2021 to win Comeback Player of the Year and has been one of the NFL's best quarterbacks when healthy, but the Bengals struggle to compete in his absence. This season, Burrow started the first two games, leading the Bengals to a 2-0 start before being sidelined; the team has since gone 1-6. While Joe Flacco has performed well in his four starts, throwing 11 touchdowns against two interceptions and averaging 313.5 passing yards, the Bengals' defense has been historically poor, contributing to their losses. However, Taylor's history consistently shows the Bengals are a sure bet to lose without Burrow.