Burrow saw his 2023 season come to an end early when he tore a ligament in his wrist in a Week 10 game at Baltimore, and his last win was two weeks before that against Buffalo on Nov. 5, 2023. The Bengals had won four straight and five of their last six games at that point, after bouncing back from an 0-2 start. Now he seeks a similar rebound after two disappointing defeats to open his fifth NFL season.
“It feels like a long time ago,” Burrow said. “We’ve just gotta go out and get another one.
“It’s been a tough six to eight months and a frustrating couple of weeks, an emotional couple of weeks,” he added. “Emotional Week 1 because I was just excited to get back out there. An emotional Week 2 because that was a hard-fought, tough battle that we didn’t come out on top. Didn’t quite make enough plays to win. We’re just excited to be back out there, excited for the opportunity on Monday.”
There’s no better time to get back on track than on the national stage in prime time. The Bengalswill be honoring former running back Corey Dillon, who played in Cincinnati from 1997 through 2003, and nose tackle Tim Krumrie (1983-1994) as the latest inductees into the organization’s Ring of Honor at halftime during Monday’s game.
Burrow said he always relishes the opportunity to play on Monday Night Football, and it’s especially motivating for the team to pay “homage” to the legends of the organization that came before him.
“Whenever you honor the legends of the organization, I always think that’s a big night for them and their families and us understanding the history of the game plays a big part in the NFL, paying homage to the guys that came before you,” Burrow said. “Without them, we wouldn’t be in the position making the money we’re making and having the platform, that we have.”
Cincinnati has a heightened sense of urgency going into the game because of the 0-2 start, but Burrow said the players pride themselves on staying consistent in practices regardless of the outcome of their last game.
Burrow was as frustrated as he has ever been after Sunday’s loss at Kansas City because the team had plenty of opportunities to put the game away and didn’t. He had moved on by Monday.
“That was a tough loss, but we just got to go out and get a win,” Burrow said. “We got to focus on getting better every day through our practice, and go out and execute when we have to execute on Monday, the rest will take care of itself.... We’ve been here before. We’re not panicking..”
Slow starts, and even losing streaks, were a foreign concept to Burrow until he got to the NFL.
At Athens High School, he helped the Bulldogs to a 37-4 record, three straight playoff appearances, the school’s first seven playoff wins and a state runner-up finish in his three seasons. Then he was a part of Ohio State and LSU teams that never lost more than two games, including his national championship run with the Tigers in 2019.
Since a 2-7-1 start his rookie season with the Bengals, before he tore his ACL, Burrow has figured out how to bounce back from poor performances.
“When you’re a rookie and you’re (2-7-1) before I got hurt, you learn how to handle those situations and just focus on controlling what you can control and getting better every week,” Burrow said. “So, that’s what I try to do every day, just go out and try to improve and the rest of the team is gonna do the same and the rest will take care of itself.”
Burrow believes Cincinnati is ready to take the next step after turning the page on Kansas City.
The Bengals could be getting another weapon back with the possible return of Tee Higgins, which would be a big boost, but regardless, Burrow said Washington will present some challenges with a stout defensive line, particularly in the interior with Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.
“Their front is really good,” Burrow said. “They are very disruptive. Their two interior players are big, strong, athletic guys that you really have to gameplan for. Their linebackers are smart, veteran players that understand what you’re trying to do. So, they get in and out of the right checks depending on what you’re doing at the line of scrimmage. That’s the strength of their team. Their outside guys are gonna make it tough. They’re gonna play physical. So we’re gonna have to match that challenge.”
MONDAY’S GAME
Commanders at Bengals, 8:15 p.m., ABC, 700, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
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