CINCINNATI — 1. Just an absolutely terrible loss. No way around it.
2. You can blame the Bengals defense giving up 512 yards to the Jets offense led by quarterback Mike White- who? Exactly. You can blame Zac Taylor because, you know, that’s what we do when the Bengals lose. You can blame Lou Anarumo and how this Bengals defense needs whatever. That’s fine. But I will go to bed tonight thinking about Joe Burrow’s interception thrown with just 4:36 left in the game that led to the Jets game-winning touchdown.
3. About that interception from Joe Burrow. That’s inexcusable. I’m sorry. For as many great things Burrow does as a quarterback and as many great throws he’s made this season, he can’t throw an interception there. In that situation with the Bengals offense taking the field up five on a team whose offense had gashed the Bengals defense all afternoon, he’s got to command the offense on a five-minute drill there.
4. That’s now seven interceptions Burrow has thrown in the fourth quarter or overtime this season. So seven of his nine interceptions this season have come in clutch situations. Burrow has led two game-winning drives this season, but he’s also thrown three interceptions that have led to points for the opposition in the fourth quarter. And today, his interception directly cost the Bengals the lead and, ultimately, the game.
5. Ja’Marr Chase had the worst game of his rookie season so far. Three receptions for a meager 32 yards. Sure he had a touchdown, but he also dropped a touchdown. And that touchdown drop came on a possession the Bengals got off a Jesse Bates interception.
6. Chase’s drop came on third and goal from the four-yard line. The Bengals went for it on fourth-and-goal from the four and Burrow was sacked for a 13-yard loss. No points in a three-point loss on a possession handed to you by a long interception return? Points must be scored there.
7. For as bad as the defense looked today, they did force three turnovers, something they have struggled to do at times this season in forcing turnovers.
8. Here’s a startling stat: the Jets had 32 first downs to the Bengals 18.
9. Did I mention the Jets quarterback today was named Mike White?
10. Remember the Monday Night game against the Steelers in 2019 when Pittsburgh beat the Bengals 27-3 with Mason Rudolph at quarterback? The Bengals defense let him do whatever he wanted in that game, much like their defense let Mike White do today. 37/45 for 405 yards and three touchdowns. Sheesh!
11. Also worth noting, 10 different players had a reception for the Jets. TEN! I thought that only happened in Las Vegas.
12. Please read the contents of this tweet.
13. Did I mention the Jets quarterback today was named Mike White?
14. How good was the Jets offense in the second half? They scored on every possession. You wouldn’t know their offense was as bad in their first six weeks as the content of my tweets state they were with today’s performance.
15. When the Bengals went up 31-20, I was thinking about how the Bengals defense had actually done a great job of forcing the Jets to settle for field goals on their first two possessions. Yes, the Bengals actually went up 31-20 in this game.
16. Oh by the way, they also went up 17-7 earlier in this game. Meaning, they blew two double-digit leads to a 1-5 team today.
17. Did I mention the Jets quarterback today was named Mike White?
18. About Zac Taylor; if you know your defense is struggling, score some damn points! But that doesn’t mean you go for it on fourth-and-goal from the four-yard line in the first quarter. The time to go for it on fourth down would be at the end of the game with 2:19 to go in the fourth. Again, inconsistent coaching.
20. On the possession where the Bengals failed on fourth-and-goal, the first two plays were running plays. The first run was for minus one yard, and so was the second run. If a play doesn’t work the first time, shouldn’t that signal to Zac Taylor to pass the ball with, oh I don’t know, JOE BURROW and, oh I don’t know, JA’MARR CHASE, TEE HIGGINS or TYLER BOYD to throw the ball to?! Stop taking the ball out of your best player’s hands!!
21. Go home tonight, flush the toilet, go lift tomorrow- the playlist is in the works for that- and immediately turn the attention to Cleveland. Spoiler alert: I still think we will beat them next Sunday.
Let me be Frank and Cut to the Chase 