Joe Burrow 'disappointed' in his performance following Bengals' Super Bowl loss to the Rams

Burrow and the Bengals came up just short

It almost seemed too good to be true for Joe Burrow and the Bengals. A season that seemed like a script straight out of Hollywood ironically ended in Hollywood in Super Bowl LVI. But the Bengals' storybook season did not end with a triumphant victory in the Super Bowl. Instead, it ended with a 23-20 loss to a more seasoned Rams team that made all the necessary plays late in the game. 

Burrow, who was recently named Comeback Player of the Year, helped the Bengals turn a 13-3 deficit into a 20-13 lead five minutes into the second half. But he and his teammates were shut out for the final 25 minutes of Super Bowl LVI. Burrow's final pass -- a desperation toss as he was being pulled down by Aaron Donald -- fell harmlessly to the turf, ending any chance at a Bengals victory. 

"Disappointed in my performance overall," Burrow said after the game, via The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. "Thought I could have played better. You live and you learn."

Burrow largely outplayed his older counterpart -- Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford -- for most of the game. But it was Stafford who led the Rams on a game-winning drive that ended with his 1-yard touchdown pass to game MVP Cooper Kupp with 1:25 left. Stafford received far protection then Burrow, who was sacked seven times, tying a Super Bowl record. The majority of those sacks took place in the second half after the Bengals had taken a seven-point lead. The Rams' unrelenting pressure on Burrow was one of the reasons why the Bengals failed to score on their last five possessions. 

In his first Super Bowl, Burrow went 22 of 33 for 263 yards that included a 75-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins on the first play of the second half. Burrow played well, but there are a few plays he probably wishes he could have back. One of them was his incomplete pass to Ja'Marr Chase on fourth down on the Bengals' first drive of the game. He also underthrew Chase on a third-and-13 play with 4:37 left in the third quarter. 

Burrow, who appeared to be playing through pain after getting hit in the knee late in the game, will surely review Sunday night's game upon returning to Ohio. And while he said that he wishes that he had played better on Sunday, Burrow added that he will take some time to enjoy everything he and his teammates were able to accomplish this season. The 2021 Bengals won the franchise's third AFC title and first since 1988. They also ended the franchise's 31-year drought without a playoff win. Cincinnati also captured the franchise's first-ever road playoff win after defeating the top-seeded Titans in the divisional round. 

"I'm still going to celebrate with the guys," Burrow said, "and reminisce on what we did all season."