Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks off the field at the conclusion of the NFL Week 3 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa. Steelers won 30-27.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks off the field at the conclusion of the NFL Week 3 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa. Steelers won 30-27. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
There's that line in The Hangover that goes, "You are literally too stupid to insult." That's how I feel about people who try to say Joe Burrow is not an elite quarterback.
The Cincinnati Bengals did lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday by a score of 30-27. Can't tell you how many times in Burrow's career he's been on the business end of those types of high-scoring affairs. A lot, though. And yes, Burrow fumbled the ball away on Cincinnati's last drive.
But uhh...brace yourselves for this stat and the idiotic discourse sure to follow.
Burrow is anti-clutch according to one stat the national media is sure to run with
And here. We. Go. Longtime sportswriter and forever Bill Belichick Covering His Eyes X/Twitter Avatar Guy Scott Kacsmar, dropping the reductive bomb that will dominate sports talk shows in the fallout of Week 3's Bengals wreckage:
Joe Burrow is now 1-34 when trailing in the last 8:00 in the NFL.
— Scott Kacsmar (@ScottKacsmar) September 27, 2026
Joe Burrow has lost 34 of 35 times when trailing in the final eight minutes as a professional.
What this, again, to reiterate the word, reductive stat proves more than almost anything else is the fact that Burrow has, in fact, come up huge in plenty of clutch situations. He's just had to watch helplessly as his defense blows it once he takes a late lead.
I mean sure, let's blame Burrow for his ball security on that decisive play. Can't take a sack in field goal range when you can force overtime, never mind lose the ball in the final minute. Joe knows that. He'll be better going forward.
BALL GAME @DerrickHarmon20
📲 Stream on NFL+: https://t.co/vqIDzYZB2x pic.twitter.com/m2WWy22zoX
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 27, 2026
But let's not pretend like, you know, Burrow didn't do more than enough to position the Bengals for victory. He completed 28 of 37 passes for 282 yards, three TDs, and a 123.9 passer rating, plus 13 rushing yards on two carries.
And yes, when the Bengals were trailing in the fourth quarter, he drilled a 4th and 2 TD toss to Mike Gesicki:
88 IN THE ENDZONE.#CINatPIT on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/96opgevKIp
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 27, 2026
Oh but it was outside of that inside eight-minute strike zone, so Burrow must be terrible! It must be his fault that the Bengals lost. All the great QBs overcome and execute comebacks, right!?
Yeah. If their special teams doesn't poop the bed by getting a roughing the kicker penalty on punt coverage. Or if they don't muff a punt to set up the opponent in the red zone.
Both those things happened in Sunday's game. Totally out of Burrow's control. It wouldn't have been close otherwise.
And yet...because the ball was in his hands last after the defense, once again, couldn't stop a nosebleed as they failed to in years past, Burrow had no margin for error. He made one mistake. Ballgame. Woof.
Anyone remember the Daijahn Anthony 4th and 16 defensive pass interference play that cost the Bengals a victory at Kansas City in Week 2, 2024? And ultimately cost them a playoff berth? That was fun. Totally Burrow's fault, too.
I'm sure there are countless examples of this across Burrow's history but I don't need to tell the fans that. Just the insufferable national media types will run with this. Should be a long week. Can't wait.
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