The Cincinnati Bengals were less than six minutes away from winning their first Super Bowl.
Sadly, the Los Angeles Rams wanted it more, thanks to a game-winning drive that featured Matthew Stafford and Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp.
It’s another heartbreaker for a franchise that has lost three Super Bowls by an average of four points.
Stafford’s back-shoulder pass to Kupp is this generation of Bengals fans’ Joe Montana to John Taylor.
Joe Burrow: “We’re probably as hungry now as we were before the game. Not just for us, but for the fans as well.” pic.twitter.com/eEzfofYPOy
— Marisa Contipelli (@BengalsMarisa) February 14, 2022
But while San Francisco’s Joe Cool completed a come-from-behind win way back in 1988, Cincinnati’s version of Joe Cool may have them remain as contenders for the foreseeable future.
Without question, Joe Burrow has the skill and the confidence to make the Bengals relevant for long.
It might not take long before they have another crack at the Super Bowl again.
Failure Will Only Make Burrow Better
Even the best ones experienced defeat in the Super Bowl.
Peyton Manning and Tom Brady dropped multiple Super Bowls, while Aaron Rodgers never returned after winning earlier in his career.
Burrow will learn from this setback and bounce back.
After all, he has always found a way to recover from adversity.
Joe Burrow shows love to Cincy and his teammates 🧡🖤 pic.twitter.com/IiEcmg4Hej
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 14, 2022
He transferred schools and won a National Championship.
He came back from a gruesome knee injury and led the Bengals to the Super Bowl.
If he can overcome those obstacles, there’s no problem he can’t tackle.
Paired with his mentality to keep on fighting, Burrow also can turn disrespect into motivation.
You are still a star joe burrow and you are young. Don’t let this get you down for too long.
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) February 14, 2022
Burrow still led the Bengals to the playoffs despite getting sacked 51 times in the regular season.
He found a way to defeat the Tennessee Titans even if he absorbed nine sacks.
The Ohio native may get attention for his fashion style, but his grit elevates the Bengals during challenging situations.
What a season for Joe Burrow and the Bengals 👏
Just getting started. pic.twitter.com/XuNpZHypjk
— ESPN (@espn) February 14, 2022
That demeanor might attract top free agents like Rob Gronkowski to play with him.
Unfortunately, Super Bowl LVI didn’t turn out the way he wanted.
That said, it’s evident what the Bengals must fix to get another title opportunity.
Room For Improvement
Cincinnati could use some upgrades on the offensive line and the secondary.
The defensive backs couldn’t contain Kupp, who eventually scored two touchdowns.
More importantly, they must start building solid protection for their franchise quarterback because they won’t win if he gets knocked down constantly.
The Bengals offensive line failed to push back Aaron Donald, Von Miller, Leonard Floyd, and the rest of the Rams’ front seven, especially in the second half.
Joe Burrow has been sacked 19 times this playoffs, the most in NFL history.
Get this man an offensive line. pic.twitter.com/BLM7hguUtk
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 14, 2022
As a result, Donald made the game-clinching pressure, and Los Angeles sacked Burrow six times in the second half.
The heat from the Rams defense shut down the Bengals offense in the fourth quarter.
Aside from these two units, Cincinnati has playmakers all over the field.
That receiver trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd would be sensational for the next few years.
Joe Burrow gave it his all.
He’ll be back. pic.twitter.com/Y3RW4dzyMZ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 14, 2022
Logan Wilson and Trey Hendrickson are looking like leaders on defense.
Luckily, the Bengals have a $57 million surplus from the projected 2022 salary cap.
Using that money wisely should help them become constant playoff fixtures without losing their stars.
