Bengals: 3 ways Joe Burrow can flourish vs. Steelers in Week 3

1. Play ahead of the downs; stop playing for 3rd down.

This one can also be told to the coaching staff as well. The Bengals were constantly stuck with 3rd and longs against Chicago all game long. That is a recipe for disaster as an offense.

Play as if third down doesn’t exist. Running the ball on first down, then doing the same thing on second down when you aren’t picking up noticeable yards, sets Burrow up in a wrong spot.

It also is straightforward for the defense to pick up on and adjust to. Knowing that an offense will run on the first two downs and then throw makes it so predictable, which is why Chicago had so much success against Cincinnati until they started letting loose and throwing the ball down the field.

This will be very important against Pittsburgh. Being able to control your destiny and control the clock will be prominent on the road in a hostile environment. Playing Cincy’s game instead of someone else’s game is how to create a recipe for victory.

The Bengals are very familiar with how the Steelers play, the disguises they use and who the threats are, and who aren’t, so game planning shouldn’t be all that complex but executing will be critical.