Joe Burrow lays out bold expectations ahead of an experience he’s wanted for a long time
Joe Burrow is finally getting what he has wanted for years. The Cincinnati Bengals are less than two days away from playing their first international game with Burrow at quarterback, and he has high expectations for his first game overseas.
Joe Burrow is finally getting what he has wanted for years. The Cincinnati Bengals are less than two days away from playing their first international game with Burrow at quarterback. Burrow and Co. will meet the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in the heart of Madrid, Spain. It will be early afternoon across the Atlantic, but the sun will still be rising back home.
“I love being here,” Burrow told reporters from all over the globe Friday. “I love being the only game on TV on Sunday morning when people back home wake up.”
To play outside of the country has been on Burrow’s wish list for some time. Even the makers of the NFL schedule noted it earlier this year. A star with a genuine passion to grow the sport is exactly the player the league should want to feature in its international series of games.
And make no mistake, Burrow has high expectations for his first game overseas.
Joe Burrow prepares Madrid for high-powered performance
Burrow’s eagerness to perform in front of an international audience coincides with the quality of the offense he leads. Cincinnati poses one of the best aerial attacks in the sport, and he’s a top-tier passer by all the important metrics from volume stats like touchdowns, to contextualized efficiency metrics like success rate.
As the Bengals offense is hitting its stride, Burrow is expecting the train to keep on rolling against Atlanta.
“It means a lot to me that we’re here,” Burrow said. “I love showcasing our talents abroad and trying to bring attention to what we do. As far as what our offense brings I think we’re explosive, we’re dynamic, we’re fun to watch. I think we’re gonna put a show on on Sunday.”
Bengals offense ranks through Week 8
Cincinnati’s offense has not disappointed this season.
- Second in success rate
- Fourth in yards/play
- Fifth in EPA/play
- Fifth in scoring percentage
More pressure is just Burrow’s style
The 2026 Bengals were born out of high expectations from Burrow. He’s publicly shared Super Bowl aspirations since the summer. Sitting with a 5-2 record on a three-game win streak with the easiest remaining schedule in the league, Cincinnati can indeed go as far as Burrow envisions.
This game in particular may not matter so much in terms of standings and playoff percentages, but with Burrow putting on record an expectation for another high-scoring output in his first international game, there are absolutely stakes at play.
It’s taken a long time for the league to put Burrow’s Bengals in one of these games. The franchise tied its first international contest back in 2016, and lost convincingly in its second chance in 2019. A good showing may entice the NFL to keep sending Cincinnati across the pond for years to come, allowing Burrow to conduct himself as the ambassador he wants to be.
If the Bengals fall flat, however, there will be disappointment and perhaps uncertainty regarding another international game in the near future.
The standard has been set, and Burrow will look to make good on his word at 9:30 am ET Sunday morning.
