Joe Burrow already putting too much pressure on himself against Ravens

Just one month into the season, the Cincinnati Bengals are running out of room for error.

Cincinnati stumbled out of the gate, suffering a shocking upset against the rebuilding New England Patriots in Week 1. A missed extra-point attempt made the difference in a narrow 26-25 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, and a shootout against the Washington Commanders in Week 3 dropped the Bengals to a 0-3 record. Cincinnati managed to earn their first win of the season against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4, but the slow start has tied them with the Cleveland Browns for fourth place in the AFC North.

The early struggles have magnified the significance of Cincinnati's divisional matchup against the visiting Baltimore Ravens. A victory would help the Bengals jump to second place in the division, but a loss would place them 2.5 games behind the Ravens, and potentially three games behind the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Joe Burrow knows he'll have to be perfect against Ravens

With their season slowly slipping away, the importance of the divisional matchup against Baltimore isn't lost on Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

"You've got to be aggressive out the gate," Burrow said on Wednesday. "You can't let the game come to you because your possessions are going to be so limited. I'm gonna have to play damn-near perfect. That's how I'm preparing, so it's an exciting opportunity."

While Burrow doesn't deserve much of the blame for Cincinnati's record, he certainly has to carry the burden of it. The fifth-year quarterback has kept the offense moving this season. Cincinnati is ranked ninth in scoring, but the stellar offensive performances have not been enough to overcome to defensive struggles.

The Bengals spent most of the offseason dealing with contract disputes for star wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, while running back Joe Mixon departed to join the Houston Texans in free agency. Burrow has managed to perform despite the distractions and roster turnover, but the same cannot be said for the defense.

Cincinnati has lost several talented defensive players in recent years, including defensive tackle DJ Reader and safety Jessie Bates. All of those accruing losses seem to have caught up with them in 2024. The Bengals defense has struggled to pressure the quarterback or stop the run, essentially demanding perfection from Cincinnati's offense in every game.

The Bengals have scored 25, 33 and 34 points in their last three contests, but it has produced just one win. Against the Ravens' top-ranked offense, Burrow will have to find a way to put plenty of points on the board.

"It's a big game, it's a big game," Burrow said. "We know what our record is. We know the opportunities we have going forward, but it's our first divisional opponent. We're 1–3. We need to get this one. it's a big game for the Bengals."

Through four games this season, Burrow has completed 95 of 134 pass attempts for 978 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception.