The Repsol Honda man was in prime position to secure a record 11 straight wins at the start of the 2014 season after starting on pole in Brno on Sunday, but made a poor start and slipped to sixth early on.
Marquez never really recovered and was involved in a scrap for third with Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing) that allowed team-mate and eventual winner Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha) to break free.
The Spaniard eventually became embroiled in a losing battle for third with Valentino Rossi, as he placed off of the podium for the first time in his MotoGP career when completing a race.
But despite failing to win for the first time this season, Marquez took the positives and is glad there will be no more talk of him being victorious at every grand prix.
"In a way it's taken a weight off my shoulders, as now people won't be asking me if I can win every race anymore," he said at Sunday's post-race news conference.
"It was also important that we were able to focus on staying in fourth, even though it was tough not to be fighting for the win; we took 13 points which are important for the World Championship and we have a big advantage.
"What matters is who wins the title not who wins the most races.
"Today was one of those Sundays in which I neither felt completely comfortable, nor had found the best setup for the bike.
"It wasn't down to a mistake by me or by the team, it was simply that we didn't have the same feeling as on other Sundays."