Joe Burrow defends Bengals’ new offense despite Jaguars loss after previously calling for more passing in frustration

Joe Burrow has changed his tone about the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive plan after their 22-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 4. Burrow initially said the Bengals should throw more after their poor rushing performance, but he later admitted he may have been emotional after the game. The quarterback now says the team needs better balance and believes improving the run game is important to making the offense work.Joe Burrow explains his “throw it more” comment after Bengals lossBurrow made his original comment after a frustrating game against Jacksonville. The Bengals managed only 23 rushing yards on 15 carries, while Burrow threw the ball 54 times for 428 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The Jaguars also put pressure on him throughout the game and finished with a 22-17 win. NFL.com reported that Burrow faced 20 pressures, his highest total in a game since Week 11 of the 2024 season.When Burrow was asked about his earlier remark, he admitted that his emotions may have played a part.“I might have been a little emotional after the game,” Burrow said, via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Obviously, you want to have balance as an offense, and the run game wasn’t good enough on Sunday, and I feel confident in myself that you put it in my hands and I’m going to make it work.”Burrow also took some responsibility for what went wrong against Jacksonville. He said he could have done more in certain situations and avoided putting the Bengals’ defense in difficult spots because of the turnovers.“When you get into a game like Sunday, and they’re a really good defense, really good front seven, and I felt like we were moving the ball pretty well in the pass game,” Burrow said. “I could have been better in spots to help our guys and not put our defense in bad positions with the turnovers. We’ve got to be more balanced going forward, and a big part of that is the run game.”Joe Burrow backs Bengals’ under-center offense despite rushing strugglesThe Bengals have been working on more under-center plays and play-action concepts as part of their effort to create a more balanced offense. Burrow said that plan is not going away despite the problems seen against Jacksonville.“I’m comfortable doing whatever is needed and will execute my best,” Burrow said. “We obviously have to be better at it. We’re still going to stick with it and keep getting reps invested in that. I think it’s very valuable, so we have to be able to do it. But we need to be better.”Burrow also explained why the running game matters so much to the team’s play-action plans. If defenses do not respect the run, they can focus more heavily on rushing the quarterback, which can make life harder for the offensive line.“Under center play actions are built off the run game,” Burrow said. “Teams have to respect the run first and foremost so you don’t just get jet rushers off the edge.”For Burrow, the message is now clearer. He still believes he can carry the offense when needed, but the Bengals do not want their entire attack to depend on his arm. The Week 4 loss exposed how difficult that can become when the running game fails to give the offense another option.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.