Well, it looks like we've officially moved on to Week 2.
The Cincinnati Bengals laid an egg in Week 1 when they fumbled the rock against the lowly New England Patriots, dropping to 0-1 to begin the year. By now, we have seen and heard plenty of narratives surrounding the Bengals' loss.
We've heard Ja'Marr Chase's complaints about not getting enough opportunities to make plays. We've seen the sideline videos of Joe Burrow supposedly having wrist troubles that prevented him from "normally" picking up a water bottle.
We've seen passing charts, heard from coaches and players themselves, and all of that seems to not matter even in the least bit right now.
The Bengals are laser-focused on the Kansas City Chiefs, as they should be. This week is a huge week. It's not a divisional matchup, but it's certainly a rivalry game. And, as there should be within any rivalry week, there's been a little chatter ... smack talk, if you will ... bulletin board material at its finest.
It's always fun to pick on a rookie, and in this case, Xavier Worthy was the target.
Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt was asked about the Chiefs' top receiver from their Week 1 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Xavier Worthy's debut didn't move Cam Taylor-Britt pic.twitter.com/cUFrudSzBy
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 12, 2024
"He can run straight."
Woof ... that's cold, Cam. That's cold. Taylor-Britt essentially put Worthy in the same conversation as former Bengals wide receiver John Ross, ironically enough.
More Bengals-Chiefs news:
However, Worthy certainly looked a bit more explosive and well-rounded as a player than Ross was, sadly.
In any event, this is the Chiefs, and the Bengals can't afford to lose focus. The smack talk is all fun and games, but at the end of the day, we're talking about the reigning champs.
This is a big one, and everybody knows it.
This could be an early get-right game for the Bengals
If the Bengals were to come out and beat the Chiefs in Week 2, everyone would forget about the Week 1 loss to New England. Everyone would forget about Burrow's passing chart and the lack of deep targets for a guy like Chase.
No one would be talking about how the Bengals opened the season by losing to one of the bottom-three teams in football. Instead, the narrative would flip right back to a positive one for Cincy.
Burrow is 3-1 against the Chiefs during his career, including 1-1 in the postseason. He's no stranger to Kansas City. He's no stranger to that Steve Spagnuolo defense.
He's beaten that Spagnuolo defense, after all. He knows he's capable. He knows what it takes.
The biggest question, here, is whether or not Burrow is actually healthy. Of course, he's said he is and the practice tape is evidence that he has no problem throwing deep. So, will Zac Taylor allow his quarterback to open things up against a team that requires such a plan?
We shall see.