Yes, Virginia, the Bengals still believe in Santa Claus!
A quick peek in the locker room post-Wednesday practice showed the team is focused on their playoff path. They know it kicks off Thursday night when Denver (9-5) faces off against the Chargers (8-6) in Los Angeles, followed by their must-win game on Sunday at Paycor Stadium against the Browns, led by Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
“We don’t want to be tied with the Chargers since they hold the tiebreakers,” said left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who, despite missing five of the last six games due to a leg injury, remains focused.
The winner of Thursday’s matchup will likely secure the sixth seed in the playoffs. If the Chargers win, it puts the pressure on Denver, who must fend off the 6-8 Bengals, Colts, and Dolphins.
For the Bengals to make the playoffs, they must win all their games, while the Broncos need to lose theirs against Cincinnati and the Chiefs, and both the Colts and Dolphins must each take a loss. Last month’s defeat to the Chargers means the Bengals can’t afford to tie with L.A.
Quarterback Joe Burrow, who has fans believing in everything from the Easter Bunny to Elvis, is definitely keeping an eye on things.
“Big game tomorrow,” he said. “You pay attention. After our game, I usually check to see if things went our way. This is the time of year when you always keep tabs on that, whether you’re in our position or fighting for seeding in the playoffs.”
He plans to watch the Broncos vs. Chargers game, at least until he dozes off. “It’s a little late for me on a Thursday, so I usually catch the first half,” he added.
BURROW REFLECTS
Burrow kept the media buzzing after last Sunday’s emotional moment on the sidelines during the final minute of the win against the Titans. In a candid and introspective press conference (he knows no other way) following Wednesday’s practice, Burrow spent most of his 20 minutes detailing what pushed him to that point.
To give you an idea, he referenced variations of the word “frustration” about a dozen times during his talk but assured everyone that his relationship with head coach Zac Taylor is solid.
It all began with Burrow’s anger at himself after experiencing his first multiple-interception game of the season, along with a third turnover when he fumbled in the red zone and threw his first first-half interception since the 2022 AFC title game.
“If the game was close at the end, I wouldn’t have reacted that way,” Burrow explained. “Typically, when I get frustrated, it’s because I’m upset with my own mistakes first. Then, when we’re controlling the game against a team I believe we’re better than, I feel I can afford to be emotional on the sidelines because the game is already decided, and I won’t have to go back out and try to win it.”
“I probably should do a better job of managing my emotions in those situations,” he admitted. “Zac was just trying to remind me to enjoy the win. I appreciate that because it’s easy to get lost in the struggles of the season and take victories for granted. I’ve been working on that, and Zac helps me improve in that area. It’s challenging for me sometimes; I strive for greatness and want our team to excel. I want our offense to be perfect, and if we fall short, it’s frustrating.”
Both Burrow and Taylor are strong supporters of one another.
“He’s got an edge to him, which is part of what makes him who he is, and I wouldn’t want to change that for anything,” Taylor said before practice. “We spend more time together than I do with any family member. I enjoy working with him every day and appreciate his intensity. It’s not always seamless between us during tough moments, but that competitive fire is something I value and wouldn’t want to alter about him.”
JIMMY B
Burrow mentioned that he and his father, former Ohio University defensive coordinator Jimmy Burrow, used to watch post-game press conferences together, with his dad offering insights on the proper and improper ways to handle them.
“We often discussed quarterbacks like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees. Drew was my favorite growing up, and I admired both Peyton and Tom as well,” Joe Burrow said. “They conducted themselves the right way throughout their careers, never blaming others. They always displayed the kind of demeanor you want from a quarterback. And as I’ve said before, those guys also get heated on the sidelines—that’s just part of the game.”
On the subject of Brady, Burrow joined him this Sunday as only the second player in NFL history to achieve 250 passing yards and three touchdown passes in six consecutive games. Brady accomplished this with the 2007 Patriots, leading them to a 16-0 season, but Burrow wasn’t aware of the comparison.
“I know I’m putting up good numbers this month; that’s about it,” Burrow stated. “I don’t really know about any comparisons or anything like that.”
D ON RISE
Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s team is coming off their best six days of the season. In the Monday night game on December 9 in Dallas, they limited the Cowboys to just a field goal in the second half, and last Sunday in Tennessee, they recorded their first six-turnover game in 17 years.
Some players suggest that things have become a bit simpler. Anarumo isn’t entirely convinced but understands their perspective.
“We’ve had as many concepts on the sheet as we typically do,” Anarumo noted. “What we’ve done is, if we practiced something but didn’t utilize it in the game, we might think, ‘This could work against them, and it should be fine.’ It’s not about guaranteeing that it will succeed.
“We probably say, ‘We’ve practiced this, so let’s carry it over and add some game-specific elements.’ At this stage of the year, you can throw in a few new wrinkles, but everyone has seen most things.”
PENALTY PAUSE
One thing that frustrated Burrow last Sunday was the sudden spike in penalties. Taylor has consistently led one of the least penalized teams in the NFL. However, in the last three games, the Bengals have accumulated their highest penalty counts in Taylor’s six years as head coach. They had 10 against Pittsburgh, 11 in Dallas, and 14 last Sunday against the Titans.
“We’re a disciplined football team that understands the rules, cadence, and what we’re trying to accomplish on every play. Historically, we’ve been good at that. But the last three weeks have been different. We’ve addressed that issue,” Burrow explained.
“It’s all about staying focused on every snap throughout the entire game. Sometimes when you’re ahead late in the game, you can let your guard down, thinking ‘The game is won, let’s just score one more time,’ but you can’t lose your focus until the game is officially over. I’ve fallen into that mindset before. We all need to do better at maintaining our mental focus until the final whistle blows.”
SLANTS AND SCREENS
If Orlando Brown Jr. can’t play again at left tackle, it appears Cody Ford is ready to step in as he returned to practice Wednesday after recovering from the flu that sidelined him last Sunday.
Ford helped the Bengals end Myles Garrett’s streak of seven consecutive games with a sack against them back in October.
Right guard Alex Cappa, who is in concussion protocol, participated in limited practice Wednesday. If he’s unavailable, Taylor isn’t revealing who might step in, with options including practice squad center Trey Hill, rookie center Matt Lee, and guard-tackle Andrew Stueber, who filled in for Cappa for four snaps last Sunday.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins has yet to resume practice after falling ill in Los Angeles before the Chargers game last month.
Wide receiver Charlie Jones (groin), who hasn’t played since taking the opening kickoff for a touchdown in Cleveland on October 20, was limited in practice Wednesday.
Leave a Reply