Joe Burrow on Bengals' drought: 'Something's got to change' - ESPN

CINCINNATI — For the third straight season, the Cincinnati Bengals will miss the playoffs, leading quarterback Joe Burrow to again state the obvious.

«We don't want to be in the spot we are in now, so something's got to change,» Burrow said Wednesday. «Whether it's players we have continuing to improve and get better and play championship-caliber football or bringing in guys that will or whatever it may be. Obviously, something has to [change].»

It's the second time in recent weeks that Burrow has advocated for things to be done differently.

«What we've been doing hasn't worked the last couple of years,» Burrow said Dec. 17. «We have to think outside the box and get creative about where we go from here.»

While Burrow has not vocalized what needs to be different, Wednesday's comments provided more clarity about what the team could be looking for.

Burrow, a sixth-year player and two-time MVP finalist, has missed nine games this season with a turf toe injury that required surgery. Since he came back Nov. 27, the team has won three of his five starts. A victory against the Cleveland Browns (4-12) on Sunday would give Cincinnati (6-10) a three-game winning streak to close the season.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor has been under scrutiny from the fan base, but Burrow has been supportive of the coach amid his desire for change.

On Wednesday, Taylor said he didn't feel the need to show the front office that the team is again close to being a contender.

«I'm not trying to show anybody,» Taylor said. «We're all in this together, so I don't think there's any need to show anybody anything.»

The end-of-season vibes are vastly different than they were earlier in Burrow's career. In 2021, the year after Burrow was drafted at No. 1,