Joe Burrow’s first recreation of the 2026 season was nearly what you’d count on from Joe Burrow in Week 1.
There have been some actually good throws. There have been some irritating ones. There was a bit little bit of rust. There was a complete lot of “How the hell did he see that?”
After which there was the pick-six. Let’s simply get that one out of the way in which.
With the Bengals sitting on a snug lead within the third quarter, Burrow tried to suit a ball into a good window, and Tampa Bay rookie Josiah Trotter made him pay, taking the interception 38 yards to the top zone.
All of a sudden, a recreation that had been feeling fairly comfy was a one-score affair. It was the sort of mistake that may fully change the tone of a recreation.
Burrow is aware of it. And judging by the way in which he talked about it afterward, he’s not precisely on the lookout for anybody to let him off the hook.
“Horrible (throw) from me. I had an out path to the sector. The flat defender received beneath it, so I’m attempting to throw the substitute, and the man made a superb play, however I can’t make that turnover,” stated Burrow.
Burrow completed the afternoon finishing 25/35 passes for 254 yards and a landing, and Cincinnati finally walked out of Paycor Stadium with a 33-27 win. The interception was the obvious mistake, but it surely was additionally principally the one play that everybody goes to recollect from what was in any other case a fairly strong afternoon from the quarterback.
True to his offseason messages, Burrow was vital of himself on that pick-six, saying he would “have felt nice strolling out of right here” with out it. However, as large of a perfectionist as he’s, No. 9 took the onus on himself.
And that’s the place the offensive line deserves some credit score.
For all of the discuss Burrow’s interception and Cincinnati’s offense leaving factors on the sector, the offensive line gave him a fairly clear afternoon in opposition to a Tampa Bay protection that got here into this matchup with loads of causes to imagine it might make life depressing for him. “Lights out” was how Burrow coined the offensive line’s Sunday efficiency, per Mike Petraglia on Twitter, and different members of the Cincinnati media.
Burrow was sacked simply as soon as. That’s it.
A marquee matchup of Tampa Bay’s first-round pass-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. in opposition to Amarius Mims was on full show Sunday afternoon. And the Bengals’ former first-round sort out stepped up in an enormous method.
Burrow had sufficient time to work by progressions, discovering Mike Gesicki repeatedly, hitting Tee Higgins in some large spots, and, when issues broke down late, made performs along with his legs.
That final half mattered, too. Cincinnati wanted to shut this recreation out, and the offense was in a position to put collectively the ultimate possession and drain the final 3:19 off the clock. That’s not one thing the Bengals have all the time been in a position to say when a recreation will get uncomfortable within the fourth quarter.
The road wasn’t good. No one goes to confuse Week 1 with a completed product. But it surely seemed like a bunch that may really give Burrow a strong probability to function.
And perhaps that’s the most important takeaway right here.
We’ve spent a lot time speaking about Burrow getting hit through the years that it may be simple to overlook when he’s really standing in a clear pocket. On Sunday, he had one sack. One.
Towards a Tampa Bay protection that was alleged to be one of many more durable checks Cincinnati would face early within the season. That’s a fairly good place to start out.
The pick-six goes to get the headlines as a result of, effectively, that’s what occurs when the franchise quarterback throws one straight into the top zone on the different finish of the sector. However Burrow doesn’t should be good for this staff to win.
That’s the fascinating factor about this Bengals staff.
The protection compelled 4 turnovers. Evan McPherson drilled two ridiculous subject targets from past 55 yards. The offensive line protected its quarterback. Chase Brown discovered the top zone. Mike Gesicki grew to become a a lot greater a part of the offense than anybody most likely anticipated.
And when Tampa Bay made the sport uncomfortable, Cincinnati didn’t fully disintegrate. Burrow’s interception helped make it uncomfortable within the first place. He’ll be the primary particular person to inform you that.
However the response issues, too.
The Bengals didn’t want Burrow to throw for 400 yards and 4 touchdowns to win this one. They wanted him to make sufficient performs, keep away from turning one mistake into three, and assist shut the sport when the Bucs inevitably made their push.
He did that.
The pick-six was ugly. The remainder of the afternoon was much more encouraging.
And if the offensive line actually can preserve giving Burrow this type of safety, Cincinnati’s offense has a fairly good probability to look a complete lot higher as soon as the Week 1 rust lastly disappears.
