Burrow took the blame: the Bengals ranked 27th in explosive plays and he posted the league's worst first-down EPA
Cincinnati wants its high-powered offense back. Joe Burrow says the responsibility is shared, 'myself included.' The numbers point at first down.
The Bengals ranked 27th in the NFL in explosive-play rate last season, with just 7.9 percent of plays going for 10-plus yards on the ground or 20-plus through the air. Joe Burrow didn't deflect: 'There's a lot of blame to go around for that, myself included.'
What exactly went wrong?
The explosive plays dried up, and the problem concentrated on first down. Cincinnati ranked 23rd in first-down explosive rate at 8.4 percent. Burrow's first-down numbers were stark: a league-worst minus-11.4 EPA among quarterbacks with 100-plus dropbacks, and a first-down QBR of 35.5, down from 69.4 the year before. When a Burrow offense isn't generating chunk plays early in the down series, the whole thing bogs down.
What did Burrow actually say?
He owned it. 'There's no secret that the last several years didn't go the way we wanted to, and there's a lot of blame to go around for that, myself included.' That's a notable posture from a quarterback of his stature, and it sets the internal tone: the fix isn't being pinned on the scheme or the supporting cast alone. Tight end Mike Gesicki framed the optimism plainly: 'I think that we have the ability to be more explosive.'
What's the plan to fix it?
Third-year offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said the team is making schematic adjustments while staying true to its player-centric approach. There were no coordinator changes and no major personnel overhaul on offense. The bet is that the same core, with Burrow healthy and a tuned first-down plan, returns to the explosive form that made Cincinnati one of the league's most dangerous offenses two years ago. Some of the 2025 efficiency dip was also distorted by multiple defensive touchdowns allowed, which skewed the situational metrics.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: Bengals, Burrow know they have ability to be 'more explosive'
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