Joe Burrow blames himself after shutout loss to Ravens that ends Bengals' playoff hopes

CINCINNATI (AP) — After voicing his frustration earlier in the week, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had what he described as one of the worst performances of his career in a 24-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens that eliminated Cincinnati from the playoff race.

Burrow, who returned three weeks ago after left toe surgery that sidelined him for nine games, threw two interceptions — including a pick-6 for the second straight game — and completed 25 of 39 passes for 225 yards as Cincinnati (4-10) was shut out at home for the first time since 2017.

“There’s not a team in the NFL that would have won the game today if I was the quarterback,” Burrow said.

During a news conference on Wednesday, Burrow made comments that had some questioning his future in Cincinnati.

“If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it,” Burrow said. “If it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for?”

Burrow clarified those remarks on Sunday.

“My comments had nothing to do with Cincinnati,” he said. “My comments had everything to do with me and my mindset.”

Injuries haven't helped.

Burrow's rookie season ended in 2020 in Week 10 when he tore an ACL. He played only 10 games in 2023 because of a torn wrist ligament. And then came the severe turf toe injury that sidelined him this year.

“He just wants to be great, I can respect that,” receiver Ja'Marr Chase said. “I’m not going to let him kill himself mentally by just one game he played bad.”

The Bengals haven’t reached the playoffs since 2022, when they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. A year before that, they lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl.

“This is a team that I thought was a talented team that was going to have a chance to do things this year," coach Zac Taylor said. "Frustrating season. I believe in the guys we have in this locker room. Through good times and bad, they’ll put their best foot forward.”

The Bengals spent big this offseason, extending the contracts of Chase and fellow wideout Tee Higgins. They gave top pass rusher Trey Hendrickson a 1-year, $30 million deal but did little else to improve one of the league's worst defenses.

Veteran Joe Flacco filled in for Burrow and kept the Bengals' playoff hopes afloat. Burrow returned on Thanksgiving night and passed for 261 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Ravens.

But the following week, Burrow and the Bengals collapsed at Buffalo. They were much worse on Sunday.

On third-and-goal at the 7 in the fourth quarter, Burrow’s pass was intercepted by Kyle Van Noy, who returned it 11 yards before handing the ball to Alohi Gilman, who ran another 84 yards for a touchdown.

Burrow was shut out for the first time in his career.

“If you’re wanting to compete for championships and get in the playoffs, number one, your quarterback has to play better than I did today,” Burrow said. “I hold myself to a high standard. This is one of the worst games I’ve played.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) runs with the ball against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) looks to throw against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) scrambles during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) reacts after being sacked by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Tavius Robinson during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow speaks during a press conference after an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 10, 2026--

Going, the travel app for discovering flight deals, announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed David Krauter as the company's new Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board. Effective March 9, 2026, Krauter succeeds Brian Kidwell, who has served as CEO since 2019 and will remain on the board.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260310635042/en/

Krauter joins at a pivotal moment for Going, which founders Scott Keyes and Brian Kidwell have led since the company's bootstrapped beginnings in 2015. After more than a decade building one of the most trusted names in travel deals, the founders are handing the reins to an executive with deep experience scaling consumer travel businesses. Krauter spent more than a decade at Tripadvisor, serving on its executive team and leading SmarterTravel — the company's largest subsidiary, a portfolio of brands including Cruise Critic, Jetsetter, and AirfareWatchdog — from 2011 to 2017, with significant revenue growth during his tenure. He most recently served as CEO of Invaluable and Yaymaker.

"I never meant to start a company; I was just a guy who wanted to travel and couldn't afford expensive flights," said Scott Keyes. "I've dedicated the last decade to helping others travel more, and bringing on David will accelerate what Going is able to accomplish for cheap flight lovers and travelers writ large."

"I am immensely proud of our team, the company we've built together, and the millions of people we've helped travel along the way," said Brian Kidwell. "After more than a decade of bootstrapping a small side project into a successful business, I am excited to welcome David, a highly talented and experienced leader, as our new CEO to help guide Going in our next phase of growth."

Since 2015, Going has helped millions of travelers save more than $1 billion on flights by pairing sophisticated deal-scouting software with a team of human Flight Experts who manually review every fare before it goes out. Going's model is funded by member subscriptions rather than airline commissions or kickbacks, ensuring its incentives are always aligned with travelers.

"I've followed Scott, Brian, and Going for a while, and have been impressed with the product, growth, and the company's focus on creating experiences that help travelers save money on their trips," said Krauter. "I'm excited to join the Going team and to work alongside Scott and Brian to lead this next chapter of growth."

Keyes and Kidwell will remain active as members of Going's Board of Directors and as controlling shareholders of the company.

About Going

Going, the travel app for discovering flight deals, has helped members around the world make their travel dreams come true since 2015. We combine sophisticated software and human Flight Experts to discover flight deals and mistake fares up to 90% off and send them to our 2 million members. Unlike fully automated fare alerts services, every deal alert we send to members has passed a rigorous quality evaluation by our team to ensure it's worth members’ hard-earned money and limited travel time.

David Krauter