With the notable exception of quarterback Joe Burrow, everyone in the Cincinnati Bengals locker was understandably elated after Sunday’s 41-24 win over the visiting Las Vegas Raiders.
Not only was it Cincinnati’s fourth win in its last six games, but the defense that had struggled amid the Bengals’ 0-3 start to the season was finally showing signs of progress.
‘You guys responded the right way,’ jubilant head coach Zac Taylor told his team afterwards. ‘Defense, after that first drive, you guys bunkered up, man. You guys bunkered up and shut ‘em down for the rest of the game.’
Burrow was his usual brilliant self, tossing for five touchdowns. He even earned a game ball from Taylor, who was seen throwing it to his quarterback just off screen.
But, as many fans quickly noticed, the ball was immediately tossed back in Taylor’s general direction and into the hands of a nearby equipment manager.
Joe Burrow was not in the mood to celebrate after Sunday’s win over the visiting Raiders
Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati team enjoyed a 41-24 victory over Las Vegas on Sunday
‘Did Burrow toss the game ball back?’ one fan asked on X.
Another added that ‘Burrow didnt (sic) want the ball.’
A Bengals spokeswoman did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for more information.
There remains a chance that Burrow was giving the keepsake to an equipment manager for safekeeping, but the quarterback’s post-game demeanor suggests he was uninterested in commemorating a performance he was dissatisfied with.
Fans all noticed the same thing after the locker-room celebration in Cincinnati
‘Get your f***ing bodies right, get your minds right,’ Burrow hollered at teammates in the locker room, referring to Thursday’s game with rival Baltimore. ‘It’s a big one on Thursday.’
Despite scoring 41 points on Sunday, Burrow felt the offense actually underperformed.
‘There were some mental lapses there in the third quarter that we’ve got to get cleaned up,’ Burrow said, as quoted by The Athletic.
‘There’s a combination of things I didn’t feel like we did good enough,’ Burrow said. ‘I’m going to have my standard of play. I’m going to have my idea of the standard of what we should live up to as an offense and coaching staff and myself and everybody. When I feel like we live up to it, I’m going to let us know. When I feel like we don’t live up to it, I am going to let us know, too.
‘Good and bad today. Not any time to sit and dwell on the good we had today.’
