Chad Johnson mirrors the feelings of countless Bengals fans who are disheartened by their team’s performances week after week. The former Cincinnati wide receiver was seen sobbing during the latest episode of the Nightcap podcast, prompted by the Bengals’ loss to their divisional rivals, the Steelers.
Footage of his emotional outburst circulated on social media, catching the attention of peers including Chris Long. Long appeared on ‘Inside the NFL’ and joked about Johnson’s display:
“Do’ya’ll smell that? I smell an Oscar or an Emmy. That was unbelievable. You could be in Hollywood dude.”
Last week, Ocho witnessed the Bengals’ hopes for a playoff run come to a disappointing conclusion, which was only part of the reason for his tears.
The other reason stemmed from a bet he made with his colleague and former Steelers safety, Ryan Clark, who predicted the Bengals would defeat Pittsburgh. The stakes? It was not just monetary; Ocho pledged that if he lost, he wouldn’t eat at McDonald’s until next year.
Taking Long’s joking remarks lightly, Ocho also took the chance to highlight his background in drama and theater from his high school days. Unfortunately, despite his theatrical performance, Ocho is still unable to enjoy McDonald’s treats due to the outcome of the bet.
Cincinnati’s playoff aspirations dashed
Ocho’s tears symbolize those of all Cincinnati fans who began the season brimming with hope. With Joe Burrow returning from injury, they had high hopes of making the playoffs after narrowly missing out last season. However, following their defeat to the Steelers, those aspirations faded away.
Currently, the Bengals stand at 4-8 and have yet to secure a win against a team with a winning record. Their struggles this season are largely attributed to their defensive performance. The Bengals rank 27th in the league, yielding nearly 370 yards per game—disturbingly close to last season’s 31st rank, where they allowed 374 yards per game.
In offense, they feature the 9th-best unit overall and the top passing offense, averaging 356 yards per game, showcasing the talent of Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. This marks a notable improvement from the previous season when they ranked 22nd overall and 15th in passing.
Nonetheless, their running game remains a significant weakness, sitting at 27th with just 91 yards per game—though this is a modest enhancement from last season.
While their offense has allowed for some comebacks, it has not translated into sufficient wins.
An even bigger concern is their defensive struggle to prevent scoring. This season, they are conceding an average of 28.3 points per game and have allowed 41 touchdowns in just 12 contests. By contrast, last season they permitted 22.4 points per game and the same number of touchdowns, but across 17 games.
The drop in defensive performance is stark compared to their 2022 season, where they ranked 3rd overall, allowing a mere 335 yards and 18.9 points per game. Unfortunately, losses in personnel over the last two seasons have significantly weakened their once-dominant defense.
Unless the Bengals address their defensive issues, their future appears grim for fans, including Chad Johnson.
Image Source: Chris Long @ Instagram
