The Cincinnati Bengals suffered a devastating blowout loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 4, with a final score of 27-3. This loss highlighted several key issues within the Bengals' roster and coaching staff, ultimately leading to their downfall. In this article, we will discuss four individuals who played a significant role in the Bengals' defeat, analyzing their performance and impact on the game.

The Bengals' Week 4 Loss

The Bengals faced a significant setback in Week 4 when they were defeated by the Titans. This loss was marked by a stark contrast to their previous week's performance against the Los Angeles Rams. While Joe Burrow's calf injury may have played a role, it cannot bear sole responsibility for the team's struggles. The Titans displayed a superior game plan, effectively neutralizing Burrow in spite of the absence of key players like Treylon Burks and Peter Skoronski. The Bengals' defense also faltered, allowing the Titans to score consistently, particularly in a relentless second-quarter onslaught. This defeat exposed several key factors contributing to the Bengals' downfall in Week 4.

Here we will look at the four Cincinnati Bengals to blame for their Week 4 blowout loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Joe Burrow

Let's not sugarcoat it. Burrow's performance didn't meet the standards required to secure a victory. Yes, we can point fingers at the offensive line, his injury, or the wide receivers. However, ultimately, Burrow is just not executing the plays or making the throws needed to defeat opponents. It's worth noting that he was outperformed by Ryan Tannehill, who was a dud in Week 3 against the Browns.

Burrow just struggled to lead the Bengals' offense effectively and grappled with accuracy issues in his passing. His limited mobility and inability to evade pressure contributed to the Titans' success in containing the Bengals' passing game.

The Bengals' star quarterback appears far from his usual self, likely due to the lingering effects of his calf injury. This has been evident over the course of four games. His calf injury is certainly still affecting him and impacting his throwing mechanics.

On Sunday, he completed 20 out of 30 passes for a total of 165 yards. He finished with a passer rating of just above 80, while Tannehill looked sharp with a 98.8 rating.

Zac Taylor

The Bengals' offense has been underwhelming in the first four games of the 2023 season. Even with their star quarterback struggling, their offensive performance has been lackluster, lacking creativity and excitement.

With Burrow injured and the passing game faltering, RB Joe Mixon hasn't had the opportunity to carry the ball 20 times in a single game this season. It seems they are struggling to find their rhythm without Burrow performing at his best.

If the Bengals aim to make it to the playoffs this season, head coach Zac Taylor will need to devise a strategy to score, even when Burrow is not in top form.

Taylor's game plan and play-calling have just left much to be desired. He failed to adapt to the Titans' defensive tactics and left the Bengals' offense stagnant. His insistence on relying heavily on the passing game, despite Burrow's injury and the Titans' strong pass defense, further undermined the team's chances of success.

After the first quarter, players on both sides of the ball seemed lost. To be fair, this isn't solely Taylor's fault. Nevertheless, the offense has had to cope with Burrow's limitations for three games already, so his inability to find solutions in this context is inexcusable. If they can't turn things around next week, it may be time to consider significant changes.

Tee Higgins

Wideout Tee Higgins' contract year has been nothing short of a catastrophe. His woes continued today as he suffered a rib injury that sidelined him for the second half of the game. He managed to accumulate just two receptions for 19 yards. After an impressive eight-catch performance against Baltimore, Higgins has only caught four passes in the past two weeks. Things are going so poorly for him that it raises questions about whether the Bengals will even consider using the franchise tag on him if a new deal can't be reached.

Bengals Defense

Man, that Cincy defense just missed so many tackles today. The abundance of missed tackles made it far too easy for a Titans offense that failed to reach 100 total yards just a week ago. While we can discuss questionable penalties, the Bengals' defenders still struggled to contain the Titans' offense once it gained momentum.

This disappointing performance can't be pinned on any one individual. Many had concerns about a revamped secondary, which had previously been one of the team's strengths. However, even defensive linemen and linebackers who have been with the team for years appeared lost at times.

Two players who warrant special attention are cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt and safety Nick Scott.

Taylor-Britt has the potential to be an outstanding cornerback, but the Titans game was not his best showing. He was beaten deep twice before leaving the game in the third quarter due to a concussion. The Bengals' defense as a whole had a challenging game, but they will need Taylor-Britt to return to form moving forward. Hopefully, he can recover quickly and regain his top-level performance when he returns to the field.

Meanwhile, Scott has struggled in pass coverage so far this season. Tannehill exploited this weakness by making crucial throws to open receivers in this game, and Scott had difficulty keeping pace.

Looking Ahead

In conclusion, the Bengals' Week 4 loss can be attributed to a combination of factors, including Joe Burrow's injury, questionable coaching decisions by Zac Taylor, underperforming key players like Tee Higgins, and a struggling defense. To rebound from this defeat and maintain their playoff aspirations, the Bengals will need to address these issues and find solutions to perform better in upcoming games.