Playoffs 'furthest thing' from Bengals' minds after 0-3 start

CINCINNATI -- A postseason run was nowhere near  Cincinnati Bengals quarterback  Joe Burrow's mind after Monday night's 38-33 upset loss to the Washington Commanders.

Burrow repeated the Bengals have a "long way to go" after they sputtered to a third straight defeat to open the season, the team's worst start since 2019 -- the year before Burrow arrived.

"We're by no means out of it, but playoffs and winning division is the furthest thing from my mind," Burrow said.

Cincinnati's star quarterback issued a similar sentiment after a Week 2 loss to  Kansas City in a matchup between the two finalists in the AFC Championship Game in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. But the most recent loss was not against the same caliber of competition. Washington (2-1) didn't score a touchdown last week in a win over the New York Giants and was led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was drafted with the second pick following the Commanders' four-win season a year ago.

Daniels and the Commanders had no problems finding the end zone on Monday. Washington scored touchdowns on five of its six true drives, including a 27-yard pass from Daniels to Terry McLaurin with 2:10 left that proved to be the winning margin. Daniels had as many touchdowns (two) as incompletions.

Typically, after games, Burrow goes straight into Cincinnati's home locker room when leaving the field. However, on Monday, he and coach Zac Taylor went into a separate entrance that leads to the coaches' office. Burrow said it was a mutual decision to speak with Taylor after the game.

"It was a very positive conversation," said Burrow, who declined to get into the specifics. "We're not happy with where we're at, but by no means is the season over. We're 0-3, it's 14 left to play."

To compound the frustration, two of the Bengals' losses came against some of the league's worst teams in 2023. Washington and New England, Cincinnati's Week 1 opponent, each won just four games last year. Those two teams, along with Arizona, were tied for the second-lowest winning percentage in the NFL. All of Cincinnati's losses to start this season have been by seven points or fewer.

Taylor said the Bengals have to create their own opportunities and need to do a better job of dictating the tempo of the game.

"There hasn't been one unit that's really dominated to take the pressure off the other unit, so this falls on everybody," Taylor said. "It's frustrating. It's a kick in the gut when you put in all this work in the offseason, in training camp, and you feel really good about the team and you start off 0-3."

Taylor pointed out that for a second straight week, Washington scored on every single drive; against the Giants in Week 2, Washington finished every drive with a field goal. The Commanders' success against Cincinnati on Monday came after cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt referred to the group led by offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury as a "nice, college offense."

Taylor said there was no need to take shots at an opponent and the two had a conversation. Taylor-Britt didn't have any qualms about his comments, even after the loss.

"I do not regret it," Taylor-Britt said at his locker on Monday night. "I didn't mean anything malicious out of the comment. It was made bigger than what it was. Yes, I can eat my words, most definitely. We did take a [loss] today."

Cincinnati will look to rebound next week against the Carolina Panthers, who finished with the league's worst record last season. Carolina is led by quarterback Andy Dalton, who started for the Bengals from 2011 to 2019 before he was replaced by Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Burrow, a one-time Pro Bowler who was 29-of-38 passing for 324 yards and three touchdowns against Washington, said he might have to make some changes in how he deals with the team as the Bengals try to find their way.

"That'll be some critical thinking that I'll have to do," Burrow said. "See what kind of leader I want to be going forward, what I feel like the team needs from me going forward."