You may argue he’s the biggest difference maker in Bengal history. Marvin Lewis was the Bengals head coach from 2003-2017. He had a top quarterback, Heisman Trophy winning quarterback pick in Carson Palmer to lead his team for 8 seasons. Lewis was still unable to secure even one playoff win.
Zac Taylor became the coach of the Bengals after the Bengals and Marvin Lewis parted ways. Early on it looked as if Taylor would be a watered-down version of Lewis. All that changed when the Bengals secured the right to draft top pick Joe Burrow. Burrow had a record breaking season in college. Undoubtedly the best ever for a quarterback at LSU. Burrow would lead the Tigers to a National championship. His fame came just as the Bengals an Andy Dalton relationship had soured.
Fast forward five seasons. Burrow has lead the Bengals to a Super Bowl and two AFC championships. He signed, at the time, the most massive contract in NFL history in 2023. The NFL salary cap handicaps teams. You can only give so much big money to so many players. With Burrow being locked into Cincinnati for the foreseeable future, other superstars had to be hung out to dry. Over the past two seasons the Bengals have lost Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates to the Atlanta Falcons and D.J. Reader to the Detroit Lions. The teams defense is paying dearly for the losses. Presently the team is off to an 0-3 start and fading very fast for playoff hopes in January.
Despite Burrow receiving his due credit, defense had been the trademark in the 21 and 22 seasons that had the Bengals threatening to take the Lombardi Trophy. The inability to stop the run or get to the quarterback in 2024 has put the team in nearly must win status in late September already. The team has gotten every cents worth they have invest in the former LSU quarterback. The Cincinnati offense behind Burrow has played well enough to win in two of the first three games.
In a 38-33 loss to the Washington Commanders Burrow put up over 300 yards passing with three touchdown passes. Despite putting on a show for a national audience during the Monday Night Football appearance, the Cincinnati defense was rarely able to make stops when they needed it most. If things don’t change, Cincinnati may be looking at a legendary generational quarterback wasting his talents on an average to below average team. This is something Bengals fans have seen too much of over the years.