The Cincinnati Bengals find themselves in an unfamiliar spot, winless after three games for the first time in the Joe Burrow era.
It’s a far cry from their recent success, and they’re teetering on the brink of an 0-4 start, something they haven’t experienced since 2019, just before Burrow’s arrival as the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Burrow, for his part, has been putting up impressive numbers.
He’s thrown five touchdowns without an interception, second only to Josh Allen’s seven TD passes for the Buffalo Bills.
Amid the challenging start, star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase offered his thoughts on Burrow’s leadership.
“Joe has always been a leader to me. I’ve never really seen him say extra like out of the ordinary to get us going. He’s pretty much himself,” Chase said, via Dov Kleiman.
Asked if the Bengals need Burrow to be more vocal, Chase admitted, “I don’t know, but I wouldn’t mind it though.”
Ja’Marr Chase on whether Joe Burrow needs to be more vocal for the #Bengals:
“I don’t know, but I wouldn’t mind it.” 🤔
(h/t @Trags)pic.twitter.com/2sYU184TNO
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 27, 2024
Chase described his own leadership style as “more of a lead by example” but seemed open to a more vocal approach from his quarterback.
Despite the rough start to the 2024 NFL season, Chase remains optimistic.
He pointed out that each loss has been by less than a touchdown, suggesting they’re on the cusp of a turnaround.
Chase himself rebounded in a big way in their Week 3 game against the Washington Commanders, racking up 118 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
The performance looks to have shaken off the rust caused by limited preseason workouts and helped him move past his contract dispute, at least for now.
As the Bengals look to right the ship, all eyes will be on Burrow and Chase to see if they can spark a comeback and get the season back on track.
