Is It Time to Worry About the Bengals Offense?

The Cincinnati Bengals suffered another frustrating loss Sunday, falling 22-17 to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium. 

Joe Burrow put together an impressive statistical performance, completing 39 of 54 passes for 428 yards and a touchdown, but the numbers don't tell the entire story. Burrow also threw two costly interceptions, and Cincinnati's offense once again struggled to make the plays it needed to win the game late.

Through the first four weeks of the season, one thing has become increasingly clear: This Bengals team is being mostly carried by its defense.

That would have been a surprising statement entering the season, but Al Golden's defense has been one of the biggest bright spots on the team. Cincinnati's defense has arguably won the Bengals both of their victories this season, making critical plays and consistently giving the offense opportunities to win games. After years of defensive struggles, the Bengals finally look like a team that can rely on that side of the ball.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the offense.

Cincinnati has invested an enormous amount of money into its offense, and specifically its biggest stars. Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown are all expected to be major pieces of what this team is trying to accomplish. Yet through four weeks, that group simply has not been good enough consistently enough.

Burrow has shown flashes of the quarterback Cincinnati knows he can be, but turnovers have hurt the Bengals at critical moments. Chase and Higgins have both made plays, but the offense has struggled to consistently create explosive, efficient drives. Brown has provided a spark in the running game, but Cincinnati still has not found the level of balance and consistency it needs.

So, is it time to worry?

I don't think it is time to totally panic. There are still plenty of reasons to believe this offense can improve, especially with Burrow under center and the amount of talent surrounding him. But this absolutely needs to become a point of emphasis over the coming weeks.

The defense is much better than it has been in recent seasons, but that does not mean Cincinnati can afford to take its offense for granted. The Bengals are going to go as far as their offense takes them, and right now, that unit is not playing at a championship level.

If Cincinnati wants to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender, the offense cannot continue to be this inconsistent. The defense has done its part to keep the Bengals in games. Now, it is time for Burrow and the offense to do theirs.

The Bengals do not need to panic. But they do need to get better — and they need to do it soon.