Bengals offense sends a message in Madrid despite Joe Burrow’s attempt to downplay it
The Cincinnati Bengals return from Spain at 6-2 after their first win outside the United States. Joe Burrow kept his reaction modest, though the way Cincinnati’s offense opened against the Falcons tells a much bigger story.
The Cincinnati Bengals won their fourth-straight game Sunday, beating the Atlanta Falcons 34-17 in Madrid, Spain. It was the first win in franchise history outside of the country, and the Bengals return to the States with a 6-2 record and an offense that is firing on all cylinders.
On paper, that sounds like a statement win. Quarterback Joe Burrow doesn’t play football on paper, though.
“A statement win? I don’t know,” Burrow said after the victory inside Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. “Every win is a statement win. I’m happy to get it done. Obviously the plane ride back is going to be a lot more fun having played the way we did today. Just gotta keep getting better.”
That’s just it. The Bengals are getting better, and what they showed overseas against Atlanta is much more of a statement than Burrow is giving it credit for.
Bengals snuff out recent slow starts
Cincinnati entered Sunday with a concerning trend. The Bengals’ offense was slow to operate in each of the previous two weeks, forcing the unit to play from behind in rather unsustainable game scripts. Cincinnati won both of those games, yes, but an offense with this high of a ceiling has the potential to be so much more, though.
The Bengals scored 34 points against the Falcons on the foundation of three-straight touchdown drives to open the game. The final point tally was fewer than the previous two games with sleepwalking beginnings, but it’s hard not to feel much better about this offense coming back from Spain.
Ja’Marr Chase hauled in a beautiful 47-yard touchdown pass from Burrow. By halftime, he was up to eight receptions for 142 yards, the best first-half performance from a Bengals player since 1988. Drive No. 2 ended with Burrow sneaking in the end zone for his third rushing touchdown of the season, capping off an 11-play drive. The third possession ended with Tee Higgins hauling in an impressive throw from Burrow to a backside dig route under pressure.
Atlanta experienced some success on offense to start the game with 10 points, but this was the exact game script Cincinnati envisioned against a team reliant on running the ball with an All-Pro in Bijan Robinson. Even Cincinnati’s running game had one of its best games, rushing for 123 yards with Chase Brown leading the way with 57 yards on nine carries.
The Bengals started the game fast, and their true competitive advantage was on full display.
Why Cincinnati looked truly unfair vs. Falcons
The stats are one thing. We already know the Bengals are capable of besting nine out of 10 defenses they’ll face.
Watching this game, it felt like the experience and chemistry of Cincinnati’s three best offensive players was on full display. I think that often gets overlooked.
So much of the conversation surrounds Burrow’s unfair advantage of having two elite receivers in Chase and Higgins at his disposal. Not enough is said about how these three have played the last six seasons together.
Burrow and Chase have been teammates in eight of the last nine seasons, going back to their days at LSU. Burrow has also been throwing to Higgins this entire decade. This level of continuity of top-tier talent is beyond other franchises’ wildest dreams. Every year the clubs of elite quarterbacks scramble to surround their passers with competent supporting casts. Their efforts can’t hold a candle to what the Bengals have.
It’s not just the incredible abilities of Burrow, Chase, and Higgins. It’s their chemistry that allows them to function at light speed. The sheer number of reps these three elite players have together is something no other team in the league can replicate, and the result can look like it did in Madrid.
Cincinnati put the league on notice
The Bengals were playing in front of a national–scratch that–international audience for the first time this season. This was a primetime game in every sense aside from kickoff time. Cincinnati used that stage to remind everyone how unstoppable this offense can be with a trio of elite talents who know each other better than any group of teammates in the league.
This is what the Bengals’ offense can look like, and it’s a scary thought for any team standing in their way.
“It’s truly the greatest show on earth,” linebacker Barrett Carter said of his offense. “Just get the ball back to them.”
It really felt like more of a statement win than Burrow is describing. This is the offense Cincinnati expects to carry it to a Super Bowl title. Plain and simple, it isn’t going anywhere as long as Burrow, Chase, and Higgins keep stacking reps together.
