AFC executive makes strong statement about concern over Bengals QB Joe Burrow's Week 1 performance
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow became the highest paid player in the NFL on the first day of the 2023 NFL season. And then he had one of the worst games of his life a few days later. Burrow inked a five year extension with the Bengals last Thursday that made the former LSU star […]
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow became the highest paid player in the NFL on the first day of the 2023 NFL season.
And then he had one of the worst games of his life a few days later.
Burrow inked a five year extension with the Bengals last Thursday that made the former LSU star the highest paid player in NFL history at $55 million per year.
That's part of the reason why Burrow's tough performance against the Cleveland Browns in Week One — he completed 14-of-31 pass attempts for 82 yards and 0 touchdowns — was so disappointing.
But while Burrow's first game of the season went about as bad as it possibly could have gone, there's no reason for concern according to one anonymous AFC Executive.
"I definitely wouldn't overreact — they'll be fine," said an AFC executive to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "Joe Burrow is too proven over time. Their timing was just off, and Cleveland's corners played well in one-on-one situations."
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, by the way, agrees that Cleveland's cornerbacks were massively important in the Browns' 24-3 win against the Bengals.
Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett also played a huge role in Cleveland's win, but there's no doubt that the Browns' cornerback play made life extremely difficult on Burrow and Cincinnati's wide receivers.
Ultimately, there were several factors that created a perfect storm on Sunday in Cleveland.
Burrow missed most of training camp with a calf injury, which prevented him from finding his rhythm before the start of the season. There was also heavy rain, which Bengals head coach Zac Taylor pointed out as the "biggest rain game" he's been a part of in 10 years.
And finally, the Browns had a perfect defensive plan. Cleveland blitzed Burrow, who wasn't able to run the football like his normal self (due to the calf injury), often on Sunday (per ESPN he was blitzed 53 percent of the time in the first half). Burrow downplayed the idea that the injury had an effect on his performance, but it was evident at times that the former No. 1 overall draft pick was hesitant to run.
Burrow's calf injury combined with limited preseason reps and inclement weather, along with a great game plan by the Browns, created a nightmarish Week One scenario for the Bengals.
But the good news for Cincy is that they went through a similar scenario in last year's season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (Burrow threw four interceptions and lost a fumble in the game) and they still won the AFC North.
As bad as the game against Cleveland was, it's just a loss in the standings. And like Burrow said after the loss, the Bengals have 16 more games to play — they just gotta keep trucking.
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Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
