CINCINNATI, Ohio — Thursday Night Football is right here in Cincinnati this week with the Bengals facing off against the Miami Dolphins at Paycor Stadium.
Other than being a primetime game that viewers can watch on WCPO 9, there are a few other things that make this game unique.
The team debuted white helmets in practice this week and painted over the orange in the end zone and at the 50-yard-line for a complete white bengal look for this white out home game.
Some players, like Jessie Bates III have been hearing from family all week about how excited they are for the white out. Bates said his family might be more excited about that aspect than he is, but the atmosphere that comes with that excitement is something he's looking forward to.
“Last year, when we were kind of making that playoff run, you know you kinda feel the atmosphere that was kind of juicing up in Cincinnati and being able to have it early in a season, make it feel like a playoff atmosphere it’ll be pretty cool,” Bates said.
The team as a whole, is focused on winning more than they're focused on what they'll be wearing.
Earlier this week, Quarterback Joe Burrow said in a press conference, "I'd play in trash bags, I really don't care what we wear out there."
Head coach, Zac Taylor seems to be on the same page.
“You know what, I show up to the game and there’s stuff in my locker and I put it on. If it’s all white, then I’ll wear it, if it’s all black like it normally is, I’ll wear that too. I’m not too picky with what I put on,” he said at a press conference this week.
Coming off of the first win of the season against the New York Jets, Burrow has a positive outlook headed into Thursday's primetime game.
“It was exciting to get the big plays that we did, it was exciting to get the win. First win of the season is always the hardest, so we got that one behind us, now I think we’re going to be rolling,” he said.
While Bengals fans see this game as a big one, the players are treating it like any other game.
“The way we take it, they’re all big. Every game means something. Obviously, this is a very good Dolphins team that’s coming into our place, but we’re going to have our work cut out for us and it’s going to be a good week of practice and what we need all week and hopefully we’ll get the win on Thursday,” Linebacker Logan Wilson said.
Viewers in Cincinnati can watch the primetime game on WCPO 9. Pregame coverage starts at 7, followed by kickoff at 8:15, and a postgame show immediately after the game.
