KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Joe Burrow isn't concerned about the Bengals' future despite falling short of the AFC title.
"I feel really good about the direction that we're headed," Burrow said after Cincinnati's 23-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. "We've been in this game two straight years — won one, lost one. Obviously this one hurts, but we'll come back stronger."
After an impressive Super Bowl run in 2022, Burrow said the team expected to be back-to-back AFC champs this season. Unfortunately, the Bengals weren't able to get it done. Cincinnati had the ball with less than two minutes to go, but penalties and sacks gave the Chiefs an opportunity to score the game-winner.
"We didn't make the plays we needed to, to win this game and they did down the stretch, and that's what it came down to," Burrow said.
Still, he believes Cincinnati has everything they need to be back in the same position next January — likely facing off against the Chiefs for a third time.
"We expect to be back there and I think (the Chiefs) do too," Burrow said.
Next time, Burrow said he's hoping the Bengals can capture the No. 1 seed in the AFC, giving them homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The crowd at Arrowhead Stadium caused multiple pre-snap penalties on Cincinnati's offense.
"The goal's always to have that 1 seed," he said. "Homefield advantage in the playoffs is always such an advantage, so that's always the goal."
With a (slightly) longer offseason ahead, Burrow said he's confident in the organization's ability to get back to AFC Championship Game and, hopefully, the Super Bowl. And as he said, the Bengals' championship window is always open.
"That's the great thing about the NFL — it's not college where you've only got four years. You've got as many years as you want to, hopefully," said Burrow. "So we'll ... have a great offseason, get better as a team, get better individually and come back next year ready to go."
