Joe Burrow Sheds Light on Mindset Ahead of Bengals' Preseason Opener With Eagles

CINCINNATI — Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will play the most extensive preseason snaps of his career on Thursday night against the Eagles.

The 28-year-old is hoping the extra reps put him and the Bengals in position to get off to a fast start this season.

The Bengals are expected to play their starters for roughly a quarter on Thursday night. Burrow will get "several" drives according to head coach Zac Taylor.

"Whatever reps we do get, we're gonna make the most of it," Burrow said in July. "Mindset wise, when you're traveling to these preseason games, it's going to be a little different mindset, a little different feeling. I think that would be positive."

Burrow and the Bengals started 0-2 in each of the past three seasons, including an 0-3 start last season.

"A couple of series, several series is what we'll give those starters," Taylor said this week. "I’m going to define it for you—the first quarter. But it’s give or take. It could be a long possession that eats up most of the first quarter. Do you want them to get another one? I’ve always been in these preseason situations, you’re careful to say what I just said because it could go into the second quarter because of reps that we’ve gotten. But right now, that’s about the target period that we’ve got."

What's Burrow's mindset and approach going into the matchup?

"Play it like a game. Play it like a game," Burrow said. "I'm sure we'll have a little different philosophy on how we're gonna call it than a regular game, but we'll see when it gets here. I'm gonna go out and cheer you like a game, try to get that rhythm."

The Bengals are hoping that Burrow and the rest of the team can get into rhythm, take it into their Week 2 preseason showdown with the Commanders and roll it into Cleveland on Sept. 7 when the results matter.

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