Cincinnati Bengals players criticize play calling late in game, say 1-4 start is 'football hell'

Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Several Cincinnati Bengals players criticized conservative play calls late in the game during their Week 5 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Center Ted Karras said the 1-4 Bengals now must dig out of "football hell" after the 41-38 setback Sunday in Cincinnati.

"The tale of the tape on us is that we are the 'Would-be Kings,'" Karras told reporters. "We are four possessions away from having a great record. The ball hasn't bounced our way. Such is the nature of the business in this league.

"We are sitting at 1-4, having to dig our way out of football hell."

Kicker Justin Tucker made a 24-yard field goal in overtime to give the Ravens the tight win at Paycor Stadium. The kick came less than a minute after Bengals holder Ryan Rehkow fumbled a snap on a game-winning field goal attempt on the other side of the field, giving the Ravens late life.

Seconds later, Ravens running back Derrick Henry took off on a 51-yard run, setting Tucker up for the short kick and effectively sealing a devastating loss for the home team.

The Bengals totaled 442 yards, but allowed 520. Burrow completed 30 of 39 passes for 392 yards, five scores and an interception. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson completed 26 of 42 attempts for 348 yards and four scores.

The Bengals took their first lead of the game on a 41-yard pass from Burrow to wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase nine seconds before halftime. Burrow threw a 5-yard touchdown toss to wide receiver Tee Higgins for a 10-point Bengals lead about six minutes into the second half.

The Ravens cut into the deficit when Jackson connected with tight end Isaiah Likely on a 1-yard touchdown pass about two minutes later. Burrow responded with another touchdown strike, finding running back Chase Brown with a 4-yard pass 41 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Jackson answered with a 10-play, 92-yard touchdown drive. One play later, Burrow threw a 70-yard touchdown strike to Chase, giving a 10-point edge back to the Bengals with 8:54 remaining.

Jackson responded with another touchdown pass to Likely. The Bengals marched the ball to the Ravens 33-yard line on the next drive, but Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey intercepted Burrow.

Tucker made a game-tying, 56-yard field goal on the resulting possession. The Bengals offense stalled on their final drive of regulation, resulting in overtime.

Jackson fumbled on the first drive of overtime, giving the ball to the Bengals for a potential game-winning drive. The Bengals ran three-consecutive times with Brown, setting up kicker Evan McPherson's final attempt. Rehkow caught the snap, but dropped the ball as he was attempting to plant the nose on the ground. He quickly picked it up, allowing McPherson to make contact, but the attempt sailed wide left.

Chase and Higgins were among the players who told reporters that they wished the Bengals would have been more aggressive in their approach on their final overtime drive.

"Personally, I think we should have gone a little bit more aggressive on first or second down, just to try to get Evan in better field goal range," Higgins said. "He can make those from that deep. I'm not putting it on him at all. It's a team effort. We lost as a team."

Higgins and Chase totaled a combined 26 targets, 19 catches, 273 yards and four scores in the loss.

"I feel like we should have tried at least one play to give it to one of our playmakers, me, Tee or Drei [Andrei Iosivas], to try to get a first down," Chase said. "That's what we'd been doing the whole game."

Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters at his postgame news conference that a pass was called on the first play of the Bengals' final offensive possession, but Burrow opted to audible to a run.

Taylor said Burrow's decision was "good management." He also said the Bengals were weary of taking a sack, holding penalty or other setbacks, which could have pushed them out of field goal range, on their final drive.

"I'm sick to my stomach for our guys in there," Taylor said. "They fought. I'm proud of them, but we've gotta find a way to win. We can't keep coming up one play short. That's what the game came down to."

The Bengals' 1-4 start is their worst since they went 0-11 to start their 2019 campaign. They went 2-14 that season and went on to select Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Bengals went on to advance to the Super Bowl in Burrow's second season. They advanced to their second-consecutive AFC Championship game a year later. Burrow missed major time due to injuries in 2020 and 2023, leading to subpar Bengals campaigns.

This season, the Bengals quarterback is among the league-leaders in touchdown passes (12) and completion percentage (76.9%). He also totaled 1,370 yards and just two interceptions through his first five starts of 2024.

The Bengals have one of the best passing attacks -- and overall offenses -- but struggled mightily on the defense end to start this season.

"We're not a championship-level team right now," Burrow said. "We're not. I like to think that we will come back and improve throughout the season to get to that point, but right now we are not and we have to get better."

The Bengals will play the New York Giants (2-3) on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.