Burrow on length of the playoff window: The window is my whoe career.

— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) January 8, 2023

King of the North. pic.twitter.com/92xFFqyDfA

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 8, 2023

This was such a weird game to approach. It wasn't for playoff qualification or even seeding, but it was for home field. The Ravens played the starting defense, but not the offense.

I guess what I'm getting at it, I wonder if they were responding to Baltmore's gamesmanship by pulling punches a little.

It was wise for the Ravens to let their defense get a peek at our first team offense while hiding their full capability on defense. I'm sure Zac and co understand what that means for next week. It's possible that once they went up, they tried not to get too cute or give up too much.

(01-08-2023, 07:10 PM)Garrus Wrote: I’d rather him be off today than next week

You beat me too it.

Joe had an off day today for sure. He'll shake it off

(01-08-2023, 07:41 PM)samhain Wrote: This was such a weird gam to approach. It wasn't for playoff qualification or even seeding, but it was for home field. The Ravens played the starting defense, but not the offense.

I guess what I'm getting at it, I wonder if they were responding to Baltmore's gamesmanship by pulling punches a little.

It was wise for the Ravens to let their defense get a peek at our first team offense while hiding their full capability on defense. I'm sure Zac and co understand what that means for next week. It's possible that once they went up, they tried not to get too cute or give up too much.

Maybe. Trying to keep their cards close to the chest for when it really matters. I hope so, anyway!

(01-08-2023, 07:39 PM)reuben.ahmed Wrote:

King of the North. pic.twitter.com/92xFFqyDfA

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 8, 2023

Man hopefully we get good news on Kappa. He seems to be in good spirits in the background. I don't how optimistic you can be with his leg on a roller though.

(01-08-2023, 07:07 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: And mix in the run more too. Get back to that off balance game out of shotgun where you don’t know if it’s a run or pass.

Going to have to run the ball especially when you need to run the ball or else they're going to lose. Felt like the Ravens tried to play the big bad bully today and came in today and just simply told the Bengles you won't run on us and thst there's more of this next week. 

(01-08-2023, 07:10 PM)Garrus Wrote: I’d rather him be off today than next week

The bigger worry is how new DC has shut Burrow down this year , he has just 3 tds a d 2 turnovers with around 205 yards passing avg.

(01-08-2023, 08:05 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: The bigger worry is how new DC has shut Burrow down this year , he has just 3 tds a d 2 turnovers with around 205 yards passing avg.

He's not dumb enough to blitz him constantly like Martindale.

To be fair, Burrow's struggles were somewhat self-created. If he hits Higgins or Chase on the 2 wide open end zone throws, that game is an absolute blowout.

(01-08-2023, 07:25 PM)Atomic Orange Wrote: He was terrible today. Even threw it away ala Dalton on fourth down.

Unlike a lot of Dalton’s throw away’s when we were trying to claw back and win on 4th down. Burrow’s throw away was fine. Only thing we couldn’t afford there was a defensive score. No need to force it.

That said, Burrow was clearly off today. He won’t be happy watching the tape this week which is probably good for us

(01-08-2023, 07:29 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Terrible is a bit much. I’d go with a little “off.” Still, he should have had multiple TD’s (Chase drop), and 0 turnovers against a defense that has been playing lights out recently.

The one to Chase on the bomb was a tad underthrown. Then he just missed Chase wide open & checked down too early to Hurst. The one where he missed Higgins was egregious but we scored a TD in the same drive. 

But there were also 5-8 crippler passes or passes into heavy traffic. He was throwing guys into the hospital all day.

Just imagine how good they could be if they played both halves. They would be unstoppable.

Burrow didn't look that great today, but I think next week will be a little different. We'll be 2-ish weeks removed from the Hamlin emergency, and he is safe and healthy now. The team has another game under the belt which will hopefully help move past any distractions and get everyone feeling better. I feel good.

(01-08-2023, 07:33 PM)reuben.ahmed Wrote:

Burrow on length of the playoff window: The window is my whoe career.

— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) January 8, 2023

Love it! But still gotta have the urgency each year like it’s the last shot

(01-08-2023, 07:12 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: Yes he and Zac were not good today
Hopefully Burrow rebounds and they got this out of their system this week

Ugly win is always better than a loss

They went vanilla after about a quarter and a half. Zac isn't tipping his hand in this game since most likely he will meet the Ravens next week.

(01-08-2023, 08:12 PM)chopperbobby Wrote: Just imagine how good they could be if they played both halves.   They would be unstoppable.

The offense wasn't good in either half really.  It is hard not to score when you take the ball away from the other team on the vast majority of their first half possessions.  It was another display of 1 dimensional football (even when it isn't working) regardless of the score or game situation.  You can't say the run game doesn't work when the RB gets 1 carry every other possession.  Be 1 dimensional and dominate fine, be 1 dimensional and absolutely stink the place up and that is insanity.  I like big passes as much as anybody btw... 

Joe Burrow: “I did not like the way I played today. Missed throws I usually make. Won’t miss those again.” #Bengals @fox19 pic.twitter.com/3BNCdUmzv9

— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) January 8, 2023

im really worried bout how burrow looked today and in halfs of the 2 games before that. he has to step it up now. and boy were has the running went. we cant do that at all. and now no cappa. im worried next week

Burrow had some bad misses today, but these two throws were both crazy.

Joe Burrow & Ja'Marr Chase (26-yd TD)

? Air Distance: 46.1 yds
? Sideline Distance: 0.4 yds
? Completion Probability: 14.6%*

*Most improbable reception of Chase's career#BALvsCIN | #RuleTheJungle pic.twitter.com/iTr7scspeF

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 8, 2023

No look pass from Joe Burrow pic.twitter.com/nhf5xIrId5

— Danny Heifetz (@Danny_Heifetz) January 8, 2023

(01-08-2023, 07:58 PM)higgy100 Wrote: Going to have to run the ball especially when you need to run the ball or else they're going to lose. Felt like the Ravens tried to play the big bad bully today and came in today and just simply told the Bengles you won't run on us and thst there's more of this next week. 

Mixon and Perine combined for 17 carries for only 45 yards (2.6 yards/carry). I don't know what the Ravens were doing, but the Bengals couldn't run the ball. (One long run for Perine nullified by holding.)

I don't know if the Bengals can run effectively. They had three or four games where it worked, but that is the exception rather than the rule. The Bengals seem totally reliant on the arm of Burrow.  Which also means a clean pocket, which they didn't have today.