Burrow: No panic amid acquainted Bengals (0-2) spot

CINCINNATI — There are two methods to view the Cincinnati Bengals‘ first two weeks of the season.

On one facet, gamers and coaches have expressed the frustration that comes with beginning 0-2 for the third straight season and the fifth time previously six years.

On the opposite — as quarterback Joe Burrow identified Thursday — is that the familiarity that comes with the sluggish begin means Cincinnati is aware of what it is going to take to snap the skid and beat the Washington Commanders on Monday night time.

“We’re in a wonderful spot,” Burrow stated in his weekly information convention. “We have been right here earlier than. We’re not panicking. We’re centered on getting a win and getting higher on daily basis.”

Burrow stated he is not sharing the identical feeling of frustration that he had following Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals led within the fourth quarter and have been a defensive cease away from beating their AFC rivals. Nonetheless, a defensive cross interference penalty on fourth-and-16 arrange the profitable discipline objective in Kansas Metropolis’s 26-25 victory.

In 4 of Burrow’s 5 NFL seasons, Cincinnati has misplaced its first two video games of the season. The exception was in 2021, when the Bengals beat the Minnesota Vikings in extra time of Week 1. Since then, the star quarterback has battled varied accidents firstly of the 12 months — a ruptured appendix (2022), a calf harm (2023) and restoration from wrist surgical procedure (2024).

And whereas there’s calm in how the group is approaching Monday’s sport, Burrow stated there’s a sense of urgency for Cincinnati to seek out its first win shortly.

“We have handled each observe prefer it’s the identical,” he stated. “We delight ourselves on us not having the ability to inform if we win or lose. At observe, we’ll exit and have enjoyable and get our work in and get higher.”

Bengals coach Zac Taylor stated regardless of the tough begin to the 12 months, which included a Week 1 loss to the New England Patriots though Cincinnati was favored by greater than a landing, it does not really feel as if the group is urgent unnecessarily because it prepares to face Washington (1-1) or is carrying any undue rigidity. Taylor stated he has by no means felt that from the gamers, which is why the group has dealt with these conditions effectively earlier than.

“I really feel it is a very snug group that understands the way to work,” Taylor stated. “How one can have that preparedness about them that may result in confidence and might result in being relaxed.”

Cincinnati did get a lift Thursday, as vast receiver Tee Higgins practiced for the primary time since he suffered a hamstring harm Sept. 5. Higgins, who sat out the primary two video games, was a restricted participant.

Taylor stated the group will see how Higgins continues to progress all through the week. If he can play, Burrow and the remainder of the group are effectively conscious of the affect the fifth-year receiver could make on Cincinnati’s offense.

“Hopefully we now have him on Sunday,” Burrow stated. “If we do not, we nonetheless really feel assured within the guys that we now have. We’re clearly extra dynamic and a a lot better group with Tee on the market.”