Bengals: 3 ways Joe Burrow can shine vs. Vikings in Week 1

2. Get the ball out quickly

This being Joe Burrow’s first real game back, nobody outside of Vikings fans wants to watch  Burrow get thrown around and hit on countless occasions, which means the Bengals’ offense needs to do everything that will avoid it.

Will he get hit? Yes, it’s football, but we are not trying to see him get hit as much as he did last season.

With all the weapons Burrow has at his disposal, the offense will need to have many short pass play designs to get him in a rhythm early in the game. The Vikings’ defense will supply an intense pass rush, and it will be a test to see how much better the offensive line has gotten this offseason. But a challenge never hurt anybody, so seeing the line in action against a solid defense will be exactly what people need to see.

Expect a lot of screen passes and short curl or slant routes early on with a deep shot here and there in the first half of this game. Completing a few passes will be essential for Burrow and the receivers, as they haven’t played together during the preseason, so some rust will need to be shaken off.

At the end of the day, though, Burrow will need to get the ball out quickly for the offense to move down the field. It will also put confidence and some consistency within the offensive line if the ball moves and their quarterback stays upright as the game progresses.