Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had some pointed comments following his team’s loss to the Washington Commanders on Monday night.

There were a number of the typical must improve, still many games to go something like that.

But one comment was a departure from the norm and quite interesting. Burrow told reporters that he needed to evaluate his approach as a leader in the locker room.

“I’m going to have to think critically and determine what kind of leader I want to be going forward,” Burrow said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, “and what I think the team needs from me going forward.”

I won’t go into it any further, but it’s hard for outsiders not to wonder what they mean.

Burrow was elite on the field at least in terms of efficiency metrics against the Commanders, completing 29 of his 38 attempts for 324 yards and a trio of touchdown passes. There were some red zone hiccups that were apparent in a five-point loss, but the offense also stretched the field and got good play from an offensive line that now started first-rounder Amarius Mims.

Based on the comments, however, it’s fair to wonder what the problems are that the Bengals are facing. An 0-3 start, which is historically a bad hole to be in, forces a rethink. The next month or so will show how Burrow’s leadership changes, if any, move things in a positive direction.