The Cincinnati Bengals moved to 5-6 on the season after Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12.
That game was the first of the new Jake Browning era, as he officially takes over for Joe Burrow. As fans surely expected, the offense wasn’t nearly as explosive, leading to a low-scoring, close game well into the second half.
In a lot of ways, it looked like the old AFC North battles of prior years before the Burrow era, for better or worse.
Here’s a look at some of the best reactions from fans and media alike coming out of the bitter divisional battle.
Two traits of the #Bengals defense apparent again today.
1. They will give up explosive plays.
2. They will get run on, specifically late in games.With no Burrow to counter, those are fatal flaws they've been unable to correct all season.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) November 26, 2023
The Bengals went into this season admitting they needed to be more explosive in the run game
Yet, the only personnel move they made was the addition of Chase Brown – who is active (yes, I know he's coming off injury) and has 0 attempts today
They have *25* rush yds today
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) November 26, 2023
Yet we’ve seen zero snaps for Chase brown. The bengals have a rare 7-week window into what this team could look like in 2024 and they’re clinging to Boyd, Mixon, and Irwin.
Time to pass the torch fellas. https://t.co/2P5DQ5SOHK
— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) November 26, 2023
The #Bengals don’t lean on the run but they also don’t have a run game.
Will be one of the more intriguing questions of the offseason/draft.
They whiffed big time on the 2023 plan.
(It’s a system built to fail with a backup as well)
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) November 26, 2023
Someone explain to me how the Bengals called EIGHT running plays today? With a backup quarterback.
— Drew Garrison (@DrewGarrison) November 26, 2023
Coaches made a big deal about this being the fastest defense they’ve ever had…must just be bad angles and broken tackles
— Matt (@MrKCincy) November 26, 2023
Burrow takes one of the worst offensive coaching staffs and play calling in the NFL and makes it decent. Now there is no Burrow to hide all the flaws. https://t.co/a8P4eAMz5m
— DarthNoobSaibot (@DarthNoobSaibot) November 26, 2023
We might’ve seen our last Bengals win of this season unfortunately you guys (and gals).
They have a chance against the Colts I think, but again, they’ll have the inferior qb in that game as well.
— Teth-Adam (@DCRezz) November 26, 2023
The thing I’m most disappointed in today is the lack of ANY adjustments from Zac Taylor / Brian Callahan.
You have a backup QB and didn’t try anything creative, didn’t try to get Brown/Jones/Yoshi involved.
Just content doing the same thing over and over.
— Taylor (@_TaylorCornell) November 26, 2023
An embarrassing showing for the coaches. Little in the way of creativity or adjustments compounded by brutal mistakes last offseason in team construction.
— Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) November 26, 2023
Is Joe Burrow worth $275 million?
Every last penny. #Bengals
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) November 26, 2023
The Bengals need to make some big changes this offseason.
— Vance Meek (@vancemeek) November 26, 2023
That was ROUGH.
25 yards rushing, 9 by our Qb.
Whelp, on to Jacksonville. WHODEY for life.
— Bengal Jim’s BTR (@bengaljims_BTR) November 26, 2023
Run game easily the worst in the NFL? Browning looking exactly like he did in camp isn't a good combo
Defense getting shellacked by one of the worst offenses in the league
But Myles Murphy and Ja'Marr Chase did some cool things and Iosivas had one cool play
— Jake Liscow (@JakeLiscow) November 26, 2023
A bad loss, but some big positives were seen with DJ Turner, Myles Murphy, Jordan Battle and Dax Hill.
And oh yeah here’s a big shocker: Ja’Marr Chase is incredible.
— Blake Jewell (@BlakeJewellNFL) November 26, 2023
That will do it. The rest of the season is going to be tough Bengals fans. It reminds us and the rest of the league how elite Joe Burrow is as a QB. Without him the Bengals are not the same team.
Steelers controlled Time of Possession by 16 more min, the Bengals ran the…
— GameOn513 (@gameonjmoney) November 26, 2023
