Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrowhas been around long enough to know that opening the season with two wins doesn’t directly translate to making the playoffs.
He’s certainly pleased with the start but understands things can turn instantly in the NFL.
“We're still in September,” Burrow said on Sept. 23. “We're not even close to where we want to be, nor is anybody − 2-0 is not gonna get anything done in this league.”
The Bengals head to Pittsburgh looking to go 3-0 for the first time since 2015. Cincinnati is a 3.5-point favorite as a road opponent, which is rare. The Steelers are coming off a Week 2 loss to the New England Patriots when they scored just three points.
This week’s game against the Steelers marks the first time Burrow will face
the Steelers without longtime head coach Mike Tomlin on the sidelines representing the black and gold. Tomlin stepped away from coaching following the 2025 season and is currently a TV analyst for NBC’s “Sunday Night Football.”
Even though the Steelers have a new coaching staff for the first time in 19 seasons, they still have one the best defensive fronts in the league headlined by eight-time Pro Bowler T.J. Watt. Burrow and Watt have competed against each other six times. Watt has recorded 5.5 sacks of Burrow in those meetings and leads the NFL in quarterback hits (248) since 2017.
Burrow knows firsthand how much of an impact Watt can make, specifically when he’s able to get his hands on passes. Watt is exceptional at batting down passes at the line of scrimmage. In 10 seasons, Watt has recorded 36 forced fumbles and 10 interceptions. Ball security is paramount for Burrow when facing Pittsburgh.
“You have to be aware of it for sure,” Burrow said of Watt’s ability to make plays. “It's hard to do that as a quarterback, to be aware of batted balls at the line of scrimmage. If you're too aware of it, I think that gets you into a little more negative than positive. So, you try to minimize his chances to do that.”
The Bengals head into this matchup one step ahead because of staff continuity. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is the lone AFC North coach who returned for another year following the 2025 season.
Taylor knows the recipe for success against the Steelers and hopes it will work against Pittsburgh’s new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
“There are some of the same trademarks that have always shown up with the Steelers defense, particularly up front,” Taylor said. “There are things you have to manage with the tape that is available to you from their time this year and time from past years. We are doing our best to sort through that and have a great plan.”
Burrow said he’s “still getting better” but feels good. His back tightness is certainly something the Bengals will have to keep an eye on as the season progresses. Minimizing the hits he takes is so important.
Burrow relishes the opportunity to go on the road and silence a crowd. The Bengals will have to do so without wide receiver Andrei Iosivas, who injured his thumb and will be placed on injured reserve. The team is otherwise healthy.
“There’s no better feeling than scoring a big touchdown on the road and it getting really quiet, but you can still hear a couple of the Bengals fans in the stands,” Burrow said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Joe Burrow loves road games and the chance to silence Steelers crowd
