The Cincinnati Bengals take on the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday at 1:00 EST and Joe Burrow makes his highly anticipated return to the field. Here are three ways that Burrow can shine against the Vikings’ defense.
1. Let Joe Mixon take pressure off him throughout the game
Burrow will have to rely on his teammates as he slowly progresses in his return. Leaning on and trusting running back Joe Mixon will be a crucial part of the offense’s and Burrow’s success against Minnesota. For Zac Taylor to get the run game going early on will be vital.
The Bengals need to avoid doing what they did last year, where they threw 40-45 times a game and consistently drop back Burrow play after play. Not only is it putting Joe at more significant risk of taking multiple hits, but it also makes it a lot easier on the defense when they know what to expect making it harder for the Bengals to move the ball. Being a one-dimensional offense will only set up failures.
Mixon is just as important as anyone else on the offense this season. Letting him see carries and success in the backfield will help Burrow get more comfortable in his return and open up better looks for the passing game when the Vikings are not anticipating what will happen next.
The Vikings’ front seven is nothing to joke about with Danielle Hunter, Everson Griffen, and Sheldon Richardson, so Cincinnati will need to attack their personnel with Mixon and other schemes that can get Joe Burrow comfortable in the game.
As an offense, we rely on Burrow to be the leader, but other players will have to step up even more so early on this year and take some of the focus off of Burrow.
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.
3. Have a short memory and focus on improving one play at a time
There are many expectations for Joe Burrow this year; the anticipation level is through the roof right now, and having his first game back be a home opener in Paul Brown Stadium, the place should be loud and full of excitement.
I’m not too worried about Burrow being affected by negative plays. He has a great mindset and approach, but focusing on improving as a unit one play at a time will be necessary even if it doesn’t seem like the offense is clicking.
Not buying into the hype and playing the game the way he played last season before the injury, Poised, focused, and team-driven football will lead to positive play. Bengals fans and the media will expect sparks right at kickoff, and people will become uneasy if things aren’t going as planned. That’s something the Bengals will need to be prepared for.
Now could they come out and play great from the jump? Yes, but don’t be shocked if they look rusty or if miscues happen.
As long as the team is improving as the game goes on, then that is a positive. Bengals Nation would love to see everything be fluent and smooth but this is the NFL — Burrow is human, coming off an injury that required a lot of healing time.
Be patient and trust the process as the game and the season develop.