This week, those kinds of plays might come in handy as he tries to escape danger when the Bengals (7-8) host the Denver Broncos (9-6) and the NFL’s best pass-rushing defense. The Broncos lead the league with 51.0 sacks, and they’ll provide arguably one of the toughest challenges for Cincinnati’s offense this season.
“You feel it (team speed) up with their defensive line,” Burrow said. “They’re explosive and athletic up front, so you have to counter that with scheme. And then for myself, understanding when I can get up and get out of the pocket, you know, make them stay consistent in their rush lines.”
Cincinnati was down both its starting offensive tackles by early in the second half of Sunday’s win over Cleveland, and although coach Zac Taylor said both Orlando Brown and Amarius Mims were looking “good” Tuesday, it’s possible the Bengals once again will be pulling from the bench for Burrow’s protection.
Burrow has gotten better and better about climbing the pocket and making plays on the run, but he’s starting to surprise even himself. He didn’t realize how “cool” his no-look pass to Sample was in the moment, but looking enjoyed watching the film back on that one.
“Well, I was getting twisted to the ground,” Burrow said. “I knew where he (Sample) was, just kind of flipped it over the shoulder, and he’s been doing a great job of making himself available in those types of situations. I think Drew’s really taken a big step this year, doing that kind of stuff for us.”
The touchdown pass to Higgins, which drew rave reviews from his teammates Sunday, was something he’s tried before but hadn’t been able to connect. He was tripping while trying to find room to manuever, and the ball left his hand as he was belly-flopping to the ground on the third-down play.
Burrow still thinks his “jump pass” touchdown to Ja’Marr Chase in Week 13 against Pittsburgh was his best.
“We practiced lefty throws before, a couple years ago,” Burrow said when asked about the strangest ways he’s practiced throwing. “Never pulled that one out, but I’ve been in that exact same (horizontal) spot a couple times this year in games and haven’t quite connected on the throws. So, I’ve got reps of doing that, just putting your body in weird positions, and having to use different parts of your body to get enough velocity on it. And this is the most I’ve ever really done that. So, we kind of learn on the fly. But you know, the more I did it early in the year, the better equipped I was to execute it later in the year. And you saw that on Sunday, I think.”
Burrow said plays like those also are the result of the hard work he puts into his body during the offseason to be able to make throws using different muscles. They are a testament to his strength and flexibility, which he works on with personal trainer Dak Notestine.
“That’s something that I work really hard on,” Burrow said. “I think whenever you’re in a position like that, one, you have to use your body’s momentum to understand how to get it off, and you have to put your arm in a position to keep it from just going right into the dirt. So, you have to understand, like when you’re going to hit the ground, how your upper body is going to move, and you have to calculate that depending on where the receiver is. So, you know, like I said, the more that I’m doing that this year, the better I’m going to be at it because you bank those reps and you understand more and more of those kinds of things.”
Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Denver’s pass rush will be coming from all angles, on blitzes and in different looks, and it’s clear the Broncos have everyone involved in it to keep opponents “on their toes.” Outside linebackers Nik Bonitto (11.5 sacks) and Jonathon Cooper (8.0 sacks) lead the charge, and defensive lineman Zach Allen adds 5.0 sacks and a team-high 33 quarterback hits.
The Broncos, who rank fourth in points allowed (18.7), also feature one of the best cornerbacks in the league in Patrick Surtain, who Burrow considered the toughest defensive back he faced back in 2021 when they last met. Cincinnati has been able to put up big numbers regardless of the opponent this season, but this is another opportunity to show just how good Burrow and company are.
“We play a lot of the top defenses in the league, and consistently put together good performances against them, so I always have a ton of confidence in our guys,” Burrow said. “And each defense presents its own challenges, and you take that week by week, so I know we’ll have a good scheme, and we’ll be ready for it.”
SATURDAY’S GAME
Broncos at Bengals, 4:30 p.m., NFL Network, FOX19, 700, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
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