Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals find themselves in an unusual position going into November — healthy and with momentum.
The Bengals are 4-2 going into Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans. That's a 180-degree shift from the past two seasons when they were 2-4.
Burrow, who was also recovering from turf toe surgery at this time last year, has led the way. He leads the league with a 71.4% completion rate, is second with a 110.4 passer rating
and tied for second with 15 touchdown passes entering Week 8.
“I feel really good about our team and the guys we have in there,” Burrow said. “It’s all just about building on what you’ve done and getting better. You can’t make the same mistake twice and expect to build momentum.”
The Bengals learned from their first-half mistakes in Baltimore, where they trailed 13-0 at halftime, and scored on their first five possessions of the second half to beat the Ravens 35-13.
Burrow has two straight games where he has four touchdown passes and no interceptions. Tee Higgins and Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb are the only players to have multiple games with at least 145 receiving yards this season while Ja'Marr Chase and tight end Mike Gesicki are tied for the AFC lead in receiving touchdowns with five.
The defense has also been stout by getting consistent pressure on quarterbacks despite having one of the lowest blitz rates in the league. The Bengals are one of five teams tied for the league lead with 21 sacks entering Week 8.
Zac Taylor's squad is over .500 through six games for only the second time in his eight-year heading coaching tenure. The other was 2021, when they advanced to Super Bowl 56.
Four of Cincinnati's five November opponents are under .500. Tennessee comes in 1-6 after last week's 27-24 loss to Cleveland after it had a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
Even though the Titans have gotten off to a slow start in Robert Saleh's first season as coach, all but two games have been decided by one score.
“We just got to keep going through the process of learning how to finish. We have to learn,” Saleh said. “This organization hasn’t won two (straight) games since 2022, there’s been a lot of blowouts. So, we haven’t even been able to recognize or be put in those positions as often. We’ve had five ops (opportunities), we’re 1-4 in those opportunities. And hopefully as we continue to get these ops, they’ll recognize where we need to get better, not only from a preparation standpoint, but from a finishing standpoint.”
One player the Bengals won't have to worry about is Jeffery Simmons, after he was traded by Tennessee to Chicago on Thursday. Simmons 21 quarterback pressures were the most among NFL defensive tackles entering Week 8.
Tennessee (1-6) at Cincinnati (4-2)
When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.
Latest odds: Bengals by 10½.
Against the spread: Titans 3-4, Bengals 3-2-1
Last week: Titans lost to the Browns 27-24; Bengals beat the Ravens 35-13
Last meeting: Bengals beat the Titans 37-27 on Dec. 15, 2024, in Nashville.
Series record: Titans lead 41-38-1.
Tennessee RB Tony Pollard vs. Cincinnati LBs Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter. Pollard rushed for a season-high 129 yards last week and scored all three Titans' touchdowns along with three catches for 26 yards. The Bengals are ranked 19th in the league against the run, allowing 116.3 yards per game. Missed tackles continue to be a problem, especially for Carter, who is tied for second among NFL linebackers with seven.
— The Bengals have won four of the past five meetings, and are 8-4 since the NFL realigned its divisions in 2002. The teams were in the AFC Central from 1970 through 2001 and played twice a season.
— Tennessee WR Carnell Tate leads NFL rookies in receptions (34) and receiving yards (413). He needs 87 yards to join Bill Groman (708 in 1960) and Ernest Givins (530 in 1986) as the only players in franchise history with 500 receiving yards in the team’s first eight games of their rookie seasons.
— Titans QB Cam Ward has averaged 5.5 yards per attempt when not blitzed this season, the fewest among qualified passers. He has faced four or fewer pass rushers on 76.2% of drop-backs, the highest rate in the NFL.
— The Bengals have blitzed on 18.5% of opponent drop-backs this season, the lowest rate in the NFL. They are tied for the most sacks (21) and have turned 22.6% of their pressures into sacks.
— Cincinnati's Gesicki has a touchdown catch in four straight games, the longest streak by a tight end in franchise history.
— Bengals K Evan McPherson has made a team-record 22 straight field goals.
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