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Film Breakdown: Everything That Went Wrong for Joe Burrow vs. the Ravens

Joe Burrow and the Bengals have had bad games, but this was something new.
Max Toscano|
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks for the locker room after the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 15 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. The Bengals were shut out, 24-0.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks for the locker room after the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 15 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. The Bengals were shut out, 24-0. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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We have seen Joe Burrow struggle. We've seen every quarterback struggle. From Tom Brady to Patrick Mahomes, they all have gross games like the one Burrow had against the Ravens.

It is what it is when that happens. Sometimes nasty film doesn't result in a loss. I'm sure everyone remembers that nasty Bucs game in 2022. It was gross on film, but the Bengals cruised to victory.

We have never seen Burrow checked out like he appeared to be on Sunday against the Ravens. There are always games where your timing is off, your accuracy just isn't that sharp, and the rush is a little harder to navigate than you're used to, but errors in judgment and communication are not things we see from Burrow—even during bad games.

Burrow is not one to blow protection calls. He's one of the few quarterbacks left with total command of protections, and he's not one to get them wrong. The install is from Bill Callahan, so while the term is the same, the Bengals use them for SCAT protections (RB either chipping or free releasing) as well instead of just JET (RB involved) like Callahan. It's just any 4 man slide to the right (R+4 letters after). With 2 DL threats (edge and DT) to the left, you can't make that call.

RIP LIZ in scat pro
Screenshot, Cleveland Browns 2020

If I were at quarterback I would have made (or kept, if that's what they had originally) a RIP call which is just a standard 3-man slide in empty (SCAT, no RB fully involved) protection. This allows the 3 to sort out the 5 to the right side, which are the 2 DL, MLB, SAM Humphrey, and SS Starks. This leaves Burrow HOT off of the FS in the box, Hamilton. The idea there being that you have two quick routes in that location. You're outnumbered 7 threats in the box vs 5, which is always the gambit with empty protections, but if they ALL come, the RB will be wide open in the flat. In any case, it is better than leaving the DT free.

The loosey-goosiness really shows up when pressured, as the timing in which you react to changing space is tight. You must anticipate and move before things happen. For example, here, Burrow needs to feel that this twist is gonna get through. It's nice to tell a guy that he can trust his protection and any leaks aren't on his head, but that has its limits.

Any TEX stunt like this AWAY from the slide side is going to be danger because there is a void and no unoccupied helper to pick it up. The RG and RT are supposed to exchange this, but it's a difficult ask with that much space. It's reasonable to ask QBs to register twists, as they do all the time. It's so routine that DCs will often use them to flush a QB in the other direction and put a spy there, assuming they will see it in their peripheral and react. He must have a quicker plan here. Drift slightly left, and buy space to dump this to his checkdown. He tries to get to that once he sees them roll to Cover-2 and take away the alert he was hunting to Chase, and does so on time, but the rusher is in his face. Timing is not always enough. Subtle movements are key.

While the above is an incredible play, it's not a decision you'd make if you were properly dialed in. He picks up the coverage and takes the alert to split the safeties, but in Cover-2, the over the ball route is a great answer as well, and a much smarter one on a critical 4th and 4. If this were second down, it'd be a great play, but he needs to dump this to Chase right at the top of his drop. It's great processing, a great throw, but bad judgment and poor decision-making. It's a very "whatever, who cares" play.

As much blame as Burrow placed on himself, he wasn't the only one without focus. The entire unit played loosely. You saw the missed pass-offs above, the OL had a brutal day, but the receivers did too. Despite Chase's big statistical output, he was elsewhere on Sunday. The Bengals had gotten man coverage before this play and decided to attack it, but Ja'Marr Chase loses a perfect ball in the air.

He was also responsible for Burrow's first interception. With the free LB in the window, Burrow must hold it an extra half-beat at the end of his drop to allow Chase to clear and put it up and away in case he continues to drift, which he does. It's a perfect ball, it has to be caught.

Burrow caught a lot of blame for this one, but it was the right throw. With the S taking a good angle on the post, putting more air under this would put it in danger, so Burrow leaves it under to place it in the window and keep it from drifting into the S. Must be caught. It's hard to move the ball when you're checked out, and the Bengals did not care enough to lock in and brave the cold.

Burrow's struggles were uncharacteristic and it's reasonable to expect him to bounce back in a big way this week in Miami.

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Max Toscano
MAX TOSCANO

Max Toscano breaks down football strategy. Prior to joining Bengals On SI, he interned with the coaching staff at the University of Connecticut, assisting the defensive staff in opponent scouting as well as assisting the Head Coach and GM with analytics on gameday. Max's areas of specific expertise include Quarterbacks and Tight Ends, including also hosting a publication dedicated to the tight end position. He also writes for "And The Valley Shook" on SB Nation.

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