4 observations from the Bengals’ preseason loss to Washington
By Aaron Burd
Bengals Observations – Burrow can’t return any sooner as Allen struggles
The long-awaited return of Joe Burrow from injury is getting closer as we draw nearer to the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. After a weak showing from backup quarterback Brandon Allen against Washington, the importance of that return is even more evident.
When Allen left the game for good, he had only completed eight of his 17 passes for 70 yards, giving him a completion percentage of under 50%. The highlight of the night for Allen was a rushing touchdown he scored on a QB sneak from the goal line, so it’s safe to say that it wasn’t an exciting performance from the backup quarterback.
In addition to his bad numbers on paper, Allen seems to have a chemistry issue with rookie Ja’Marr Chase. While most of the blame can surely be put onto Chase for his three drops, it’s not unreasonable to wonder whether the result would have been the same with Burrow at quarterback. The rookie wide receiver surely feels more comfortable with his former LSU teammate and may have been able to pull in a couple of catches had they played together.
Allen had a few impressive performances in 2020 after Burrow was injured, but his performance in Washington shows that he can’t be trusted with the offense. The sooner the Bengals’ franchise quarterback returns, the better.