Bengals’ Week 3 Keys: Make It The Joe Burrow Show
Albert Cesare/Imagn Images
The Cincinnati Bengals are off to another slow start this season, with an 0-2 record that (temporarily) leaves them in last place in the AFC North after the Baltimore Ravens secured their first win yesterday. The hope is that changes tonight, as Cincinnati will take on the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football.
What are the keys for the Bengals finally getting one in the win column?
Let Burrow Be His Best Self
Joe Burrow is kind of the anti-Andy Dalton. When the lights in Paycor Stadium are the brightest, Joe Burrow shows out.
The Bengals have won 6 straight home prime-time games. It's their longest home prime-time win streak since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger (5 straight from 1997-07). pic.twitter.com/ZCOBO2ZbiQ
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 6, 2023
Cincinnati has emerged victorious in six straight prime-time games, with Burrow having never lost at home in prime-time. We haven’t seen Big Game Burrow since Week 9 of last year, an enormous Sunday Night Football win against Buffalo, where he threw for a season-high 348 yards and out-dueled Josh Allen.
Despite the 0-2 start, the circumstances surrounding the Bengals give fans reason to be optimistic, especially after Cincy very nearly knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead last Sunday (yes, we do consider that a moral victory). Burrow, a notorious competitor who gains Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson powers when he has a chip on his shoulder, has lost four straight regular season games, the longest losing streak of his career. The players around him know he has no intention of adding to that streak.
“He’s a competitor in every aspect of the word,” Mike Gesicki said. “It’s cool to be around. I think it makes everybody else better. Because when you’re around talent like that and you’re a leader like that, you want to go (and) be great for him.”
Press Their Passing Advantage
Joe Burrow is on track to have the services of a fully healthy receiver corps for the first time all season, as Shiesty’s No. 2 target is set to make his season debut.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins set to play vs. Commanders on Monday night. pic.twitter.com/GeKayIZLuG
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2024
When at full strength, the Bengals have as talented of a receiver corps as any team in the NFL. Cincinnati will have a healthy Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase (who also has a chip on his shoulder after a subpar start to his season), a quickly ascending Jermaine Burton, and a deeply underrated Andrei Iosivas. Together, they can overwhelm nearly any secondary in the NFL. In addition, the Commanders’ secondary vs. Bengals’ passing offense would be akin to a David vs. Goliath matchup, but if God slept in and David misplaced his slingshot.
The Commanders have an abysmal secondary. They lead the NFL in passer rating against (127.6) and percentage of passing plays that lead to a first down (44.8%). They are tied for third in the NFL in passing touchdowns allowed (6), despite playing in one fewer game than 28 other teams. It’s the biggest disaster in D.C. since the War of 1812.
Any opponent would have their hands full with a fully healthy Bengals’ passing attack. As much as we want Taylor to establish the running game, Taylor could probably leave Zack Moss and Chase Brown inactive and probably still do fine. Air it out, pour on the points early, and don’t let up. Doing so would turn the game script in the Bengals’ favor, and in turn, it would…
Make Jayden Daniels Throw
The rookie signal-caller, who Washington selected second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, has two touchdowns thus far in his NFL career. However, neither of them have come through the air.
JAYDEN DANIELS KEEPS IT HIMSELF FOR HIS FIRST CAREER TD! pic.twitter.com/zjK2zaYKyW
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) September 8, 2024
Daniels is already one of the most effective quarterbacks in the NFL… as a runner. His 66 rushing yards per game are tied for second-most among QBs this year. His two rushing touchdowns have him tied with Josh Allen and Bo Nix as the position’s best.
However, he is much more pedestrian in the air. Even though he is the NFL’s current leader in completion percentage, he has yet to throw a single touchdown in his pro career and only has six passes of 20-plus yards thus far this season. In addition, he will be facing a Bengals’ secondary that has significantly stepped up their game after a dismal 2023, particularly in Week 2 where they limited Patrick Mahomes to 151 passing yards, the second-lowest yardage total of his career.
If Cincinnati pounces on Washington’s pass defense early and often, Daniels will need to throw to catch up. Given his average showing in the pocket, combined with the Bengals’ much-improved ability in pass defense, an early lead will force the Commanders to abandon what they do best on offense.
Up Next