The 2024 NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow sent a crystal clear message to Cincinnati's front office after the Bengals' 37-17 thrashing at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8.
The message? The team's rushing attack simply isn't good enough. Cincinnati has had one of the least-productive ground games in the league all season, and the Bengals mustered just 58 rushing yards against Philadelphia.
Joe Burrow knows the Bengals need to improve their run game
Cincinnati's passing attack is excellent -- thanks to the presence of Burrow and star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins -- but there isn't nearly enough balance in the offense, which makes it easier for defenses to scheme against it. Cincinnati has scored under 20 points in two of its last three games.
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"After the first game, we ran it well for a couple weeks in a row there. The last couple of weeks haven't been good enough," Burrow said. "When you play good rushers like we have the last several weeks, you've got to keep them off balance and be able to run the ball.
"If you don't, then they aren't going to be quite as worried about it and then their edge guys are going to start getting push and play action isn't going to be as good. So, you've got to drop back and make plays, and that's what those kind of teams want. So, it's tough when you can't."
Burrow isn't the type of guy to call out his own organization or his teammates, so that's about as close as you'll get to hearing him making a direct request publicly. The Bengals need to do a better job of establishing the run, and that isn't lost on Burrow.
The star quarterback's frustration is understandable. He's turning in yet another stellar season, but it looks like it might go to waste due to issues with the defense and the running game. That has to be hard to swallow for a player of Burrow's caliber. The fact that former Bengals back Joe Mixon is thriving with the Texans probably doesn't help either.
Unfortunately for fans in Cincinnati, it's likely that Burrow's pleas will fall on def ears, as the Bengals are unlikely to swing a deal for a running back prior to the trade deadline, which is set for Nov. 5. That just isn't how the organization operates.
If anything, perhaps Burrow's words will lead the coaching staff to figure out a way to get the ground game involved more, but that's also unlikely. The Bengals are going to go as far as Burrow's arm can take them, and this year there might just be too many other issues for Burrow's ability to overcome.