The Cincinnati Bengals won one game on the road in quarterback Joe Burrow’s first season. Don’t expect that to fly with Burrow in his second year in the NFL.
“The main thing we would be is we would get a win on the road,” Burrow said. “That's a big thing for us. We were 1-0 last week, we want to be 1-0 this week. We're not going to look ahead and we're not going to look back. We're going to focus on this week. It's a really talented defense and they've got some players on offense so we're going to have to go in there and get the job done."
Cincinnati hits the road for the first time this season and their first road contest will take place in front of a rabid Chicago sports fan base. The Bears are coming off a disappointing performance against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football in Week 1 and will be looking to get back in their season-opener.
There’s also a lot of attention surrounding the Bears right now with the quarterback controversy between Andy Dalton and rookie Justin Fields. The atmosphere at Soldier Field will be hostile and the Bengals will have to execute at a high level to win.
When Burrow played on the road during his 2020 rookie season, most NFL stadiums were open with limited capacity or didn’t have fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be the first time Burrow will be under center on the road in front of a large crowd since his college days at LSU. The Bengals will likely have to use a silent count on offense and as seen in the Cincinnati’s season-opener against the Vikings, crowd noise can play a major role in execution on the field.
“When you are on the road communication is harder, defenses are able to disguise blitzes better because you are on silent cadence, so you've got to be good in those areas and find ways to get the defense to uncover themselves," Burrow said.
One positive for the Bengals heading into their first road game is their offensive line is full of players who know how to handle playing in front of a crowd – a perk of starting all veterans. Head coach Zac Taylor and Burrow won’t have to worry about a rookie being overwhelmed this weekend.
But it’s likely at some point the atmosphere will play a factor in the game. Burrow said winning on the road comes down to three things: Control the clock, control the ball and capitalize on opportunities when they present themselves.
Seems easier said than done, though. Fortunately for Burrow, he’s no stranger to playing on the road in front of large crowds. He has the experience and confidence to handle doing such.
“Playing in the SEC it doesn't get much bigger than that in the college game,” Burrow said. “Now we're in pro football and blitzes are more complicated and safeties are better at disguising their plays. We have to go out and make it work.”
Burrow enters the Week 2 matchup with the Bears feeling better than he did all of training camp. He was encouraged by his play against the Vikings, as he should be considering he completed 20 of his 27 passes and threw for two touchdowns but expects to play even better in Chicago.
If he does, the Bears’ defense could be in for a long day.
“I thought I protected the ball fairly well,” Burrow said. “I missed some throws I normally make. But overall, I think I played a pretty good game, good enough to win. But we're gonna keep getting better every week, and I'm excited to do that.”
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