CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow sat at his locker for several minutes, arms crossed, one leg over the other, assessing the aftermath of Sunday’s 41-38 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Leading most of the day, the Bengals appeared poised to open play in the AFC North with a win – their second straight. But on multiple occasions, Cincinnati saw that lead slip away before the Ravens finally sealed the deal with Justin Tucker’s 24-yard field goal.

As Burrow reflected on the outcome, one thing became clear: After suffering a fourth loss in five games to start the season, Burrow said it was frustrating that a team that started the year with title aspirations got nowhere close.

“We’re not a championship-level team right now,” Burrow said. “That’s not the case. I like to think we’ll come back and improve throughout the season to get to that point, but right now that’s not the case and we have to get better.”

It seemed like there was little the offense could do after another productive outing. Cincinnati scored 30 points for the third straight game. Burrow threw for a career-high five touchdowns on 30-of-39, which was good for five touchdowns, although he also threw a costly interception in the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase had 10 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

But it wasn’t enough. The defense allowed more than 38 points for the second straight game. After Cincinnati led 38-28 with 8:54 left in regulation, the Ravens scored 13 unanswered points.

For Chase, that intensified the disappointment after Sunday’s defeat.

“I think that’s why we’re angry more than anything,” Chase said in his locker after the game. “Just score thirty points and lose there.

“That’s what we want to do as an offense: score 30 points and take over the game. Put the ball in our hands and take over. That’s what we want, and we didn’t do that.”

Chase and fellow wide receiver Tee Higgins lamented the lack of aggressiveness during a crazy overtime period. Baltimore won the toss to start overtime and drove down the field for a potential game-winning touchdown. However, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson fumbled on a snap while in the shotgun, and Cincinnati linebacker Germaine Pratt recovered the ball and took it to Baltimore’s 38-yard line.

Cincinnati ran the ball three straight times to set up a field goal attempt for kicker Evan McPherson. Since being called up in 2021, McPherson has hit nine tie-breaking or go-ahead goals in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime, according to ESPN Research. But a poor grab from rookie punter Ryan Rehkow played a role in the 53-year-old missing wide left.

When asked about the conservative approach on that drive, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he didn’t want to risk a sack or penalty in that situation. He said that series of plays called for a pass, but Burrow did a good job of checking in on a run play that was more favorable given the defensive look.

“If you’re within field goal range and you believe in your kicker, it’s really as simple as that,” Taylor said.

But instead of back-to-back wins, the Bengals are now trying to overcome the odds to reach the postseason. According to ESPN Research, only 5.6% of teams that started the year with a 1-4 record in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) have reached the postseason. The 2020 Washington Commanders were the most recent team to accomplish the feat.

Burrow said there are no illusions about where the Bengals are after their fourth loss of the year by just a combined 15 points.

“I know exactly how we are 1-4,” Burrow said. “We’re not playing at the end of the game to win the game. Absolutely not out of disbelief. I know exactly what’s happening.”

Despite what Burrow said after the game about the team not being a championship-level team, Taylor said he still believes in that. Cincinnati went to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season, losing to the Los Angeles Rams and reaching the AFC Championship Game the following year before losing in a rematch to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Taylor said there is still a lot of confidence that the team can bounce back, despite what happened against Baltimore on Sunday.

“People can write us off if they really want to,” Taylor said. “I’m not stupid enough to do that.”