Cincinnati can’t afford a slow start in the division and especially can’t expect to be able to come back against a clock-controlling team like the Ravens. That has Burrow focused on making sure his team comes out ready to attack.
“Paramount,” Burrow said about the need for a fast start. “You have to; otherwise, they’re just gonna eat the clock up run the ball. You know how well they how well they run it. So we have to start fast and get ourselves as many opportunities as we can.”
“Gotta be aggressive out the gate,” Burrow added. “Can’t let the game come to you because your possessions are gonna be so limited, I’m gonna have to play damn-near perfect. That’s how I’m preparing. So it’s an exciting opportunity.”
Burrow has the Bengals offense playing well the last three weeks after a poor performance in the opener against New England, but they need to make the most of every drive while the defense has struggled. Cincinnati is ninth in points scored, 11th in total yards and sixth in passing yards per game.
There’s been an added sense of urgency since the Bengals’ 0-3 start, and the first win last week at Carolina was just one step to get back into the mix. Winning AFC North games are the best chance at a playoff spot, but Burrow said he’s not thinking about that. He’s just thinking about the need to win.
“It’s a big game,” Burrow said. “We know what our record is, we know the opportunities we have going forward, but it’s our first divisional opponent, we’re 1-3. We need to get this one, it’s a big game for the Bengals.”
Joe Burrow speaks to the media following practice, heading into Week 5 vs Baltimore. https://t.co/BWMpQz3yr5
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 2, 2024
Burrow was still working through a calf strain when the Bengals dropped a 27-24 loss to the Ravens last year in Week 2, but he was playing at a high level going into the Week 11 rematch in Baltimore, leading the Bengals to wins in four of their last five games.
In the second quarter, Burrow’s season ended with a torn ligament in his wrist he felt as he threw a go-ahead 4-yard touchdown pass to give the Bengals a 9-7 lead. The Bengals ended up losing the game 34-20, falling to Pittsburgh in the next game and later getting swept by the Steelers, but finishing 4-3 in Jake Browning’s starts.
“I think our quarterback being back helps,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said when asked why he is confident things can be different in division games this year. “That goes a long way for it. This division has always been about turnover battles every time you are in these games. It really is as simple as that. A lot of times these aren’t major possession games, big possession games, so the turnovers become critical. We always expect to get the best from our players. They know the opponent. They know us. Exciting week for us.”
Taylor said he thinks Burrow is playing as well now as he was during that 4-1 stretch before he got hurt last year when he completed 74.1 percent of his passes and threw for 1,480 yards and 12 touchdowns. In the last three games, Burrow has completed 70.5 percent of his passes for 814 yards and seven touchdowns with just one interception and a rating of 111.4.
Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said he looks confident, and the team has confidence in him.
“I think he’s playing well,” Pitcher said. “I think that’s always going to come with the caveat of a couple plays here or there, but he is very much in command of what we are asking him to do. He’s as involved and vocal in terms of feedback and his belief in what we are doing. His suggestions for any modifications we can make throughout the week, he’s wired in, man. He’s in a really good place. His play is representative of that.”
Burrow tends to set the tone for the rest of the team as a player the Bengals have placed a lot of faith in the past few years. He said the whole group is confident going into this week, even knowing the Ravens’ defense has always been a challenge with a dynamic pass rush and Pro Bowlers at every level.
“We’re rolling on offense right now,” Burrow said. “We’ve still left some points out there, which when you score 33, 34 back-to-back and you feel like you’ve left points on the board, that’s a good spot to be as an offense. We’re gonna continue to chase perfection, try to score on every drive. It’s a big opportunity. We thrive in these moments. We’re excited about it in front of our fans that we’re gonna need on Sunday. I hope they’re excited, too. We’re putting in the work this week to go out and put our best foot forward.”
SUNDAY’S GAME
Ravens at Bengals, 1 p.m., CBS, 700, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
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