Three Post Bye Week Thoughts on Joe Burrow and the Bengals Ahead of AFC North Showdown vs Steelers

The Bengals are 4-7 on the season. They've lost back-to-back one score games.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) paces between plays in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. The Chargers won 34-27. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bengals are 4-7 and currently the 10th seed in the AFC. Could they make a playoff push over the final six weeks of the season?

It'll be much easier said than done. Here are three post bye week thoughts on Joe Burrow and the Bengals:

Tough Schedule

The Bengals play the Steelers twice, the Browns once and have matchups against the Titans, Cowboys and Broncos over the next six weeks.

Those teams went a combined 4-1 this week, with Pittsburgh falling to Cleveland. None of the Bengals' remaining games are easy.

The Cowboys beat the Commanders and even though they're sloppy, they have the talent to win games—especially a primetime game against the Bengals at home in Week 14.

Brian Callahan's Titans might've played their best game of the season en route to a 32-27 win over the Texans.

The Broncos beat the Raiders to improve to 7-5. They have the seventh and final seed in the AFC playoff picture entering Week 13.

Count out Burrow at your own risk, but it's going to be tough for the Bengals to make a playoff run over the next six weeks. Even the games that appeared to be "easy" on paper a few weeks ago are going to be tough.

Orlando Back?

Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. hasn't played since Oct. 27. He was playing at an All-Pro level before suffering knee and fibula injuries. The offense would get a major boost if he's able to return this week and be effective, despite dealing with a lingering injury.

Veterans Delivering

What do Geno Stone, Evan McPherson, Sheldon Rankins, Alex Cappa, Cordell Volson and plenty of other Bengals veterans have in common?

They've underperformed this season.

That has to change if the Bengals are going to right the ship and make a legitimate playoff push.

Guys like Stone and Rankins were key signings in free agency. Neither guy has delivered up to this point. Rankins hasn't added any juice to a pass rush that desperately needs help. He has one sack on the year and is rarely getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Meanwhile, Stone has just one interception and two passes defensed this season. He had seven interceptions and nine passes defensed last season for Baltimore.

Cappa and Volson have struggled to protect Burrow. They have to be better and it isn't going to be easy.

The Bengals face Cam Hayward, Jeffery Simmons and plenty of other quality interior defensive linemen over the final six games of the season.

From McPherson to Cappa and Rankins—the Bengals need key veterans to play better down the stretch if they're going to go on a winning streak and make a playoff push.

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