Will Joe Burrow finally get some help from his defense in 2025?

Joe Burrow had nan champion play of his NFL profession successful 2024, throwing for 48 touchdowns and 4,918 yards, yet nan Cincinnati Bengals did not moreover make nan playoffs for nan 2nd twelvemonth successful a row. Despite averaging astir 28 points per game, nan squad could not muster up much than 9 wins, and that wasn’t capable to triumph nan section nor to gain a Wild Card spot.

Burrow and nan discourtesy are not wholly blameless, of course. The Week 1 nonaccomplishment to nan New England Patriots, who vanished nan play pinch conscionable 4 wins, was a shocking and inexcusably bad performance. But for nan remainder of nan year, nan discourtesy did capable to win. It was nan defense that often gave up acold excessively galore touchdowns and it was for this logic that erstwhile protect coordinator Lou Anarumo was fired.

Will nan 2025 NFL play beryllium immoderate different? That’s nan mobility that ESPN’s Dan Graziano asks erstwhile it comes to Burow and nan Bengals successful his latest article. Regarding Cincinnati’s protect outlook, he writes: “But a defense that vanished 27th successful protect EPA rendered nan offense's capacity irrelevant, arsenic nan Bengals vanished 9-8 and missed nan playoffs. New protect coordinator Al Golden should beryllium capable to overhaul immoderate things and make improvements. But if nan Trey Hendrickson contract conflict drags into nan season, it's going to beryllium reliable for Cincinnati to extremity opposing offenses erstwhile again.”

Graziano hits nan nail connected nan head, and opens nan doorway to moreover much intriguing questions. The ongoing statement conflict betwixt nan beforehand agency and prima walk rusher Trey Hendrickson (and rookie protect extremity Shemar Stewart, arsenic well) is simply embarrassing. The Bengals’ defense was alarmingly bad a twelvemonth ago, and nan squad appears to beryllium playing hardball pinch arguably nan only portion of that portion who has earned his support frankincense far.

At this point, it looks for illustration Burrow could group NFL records and triumph unanimous MVP only to spot it each beryllium for naught arsenic nan squad repeats its 9-8 grounds from past season. If nan Bengals can’t make Hendrickson and Stewart happy, nan 2025 play promises to beryllium different agelong 1 for Burrow, nan remainder of nan players, and nan fans.