Why Joe Burrow’s Preseason Opener Was Significant to Jaguars

Jacksonville's initial 2025 road trip in Week 2 at Cincinnati.

Cincinnati actually started 3-1 in 2021, including a Week 4 victory over the Jaguars, on its way to knocking off the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game and losing to the Rams in the Super Bowl (The Enquirer). | Kareem Elgazzar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Two drives, two touchdowns. That summed up Joe Burrow’s night at the office Thursday in Cincinnati’s preseason opener at Philadelphia. The Jaguars were watching.

“Today was average. Today was average,” said Burrow, who finished 9 of 10 for 123 yards with touchdown passes to Ja’Marr Chase and Tanner Hudson. “But overall, I'm happy with where I'm at. Next week I'd like to be a little better.

“I think for myself, I could have been better. I missed the first throw. I put all the other ones where I wanted to put them. I would've liked to have spun it a little better consistently today. But we had scored two touchdowns, so go learn from a couple reps and get better.”

Aug 7, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws a touchdown pass during the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Scary thought

That should be a scary thought for Travis Hunter and the Jaguars. Jacksonville has a formidable road test against Burrow, Chase and the Bengals in Week 2.

But Cincinnati has a combined 1-11 record in Weeks 1-2 since Zac Taylor left Liam Coen and the Rams’ coaching staff to take over the Bengals in 2019. To curb that trend, Taylor said he’s planning to play Burrow more in the preseason than ever before.

Burrow played just one preseason game last year and prior to that hadn’t taken a preseason snap since 2021. But while Cincinnati won its final five games and Burrow led the league with 4,918 passing yards and 49 touchdown passes, the Bengals missed the playoffs. Their 0-3 start included a season-opening home loss to the Patriots, who wound up just 4-13.

New England Patriots linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley (8) tackles Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) in the fourth quarter of the NFL game at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

So, when Jacksonville comes to town Sept. 14, Cincinnati will be focused. That’s bad news for Coen and Hunter. The second-overall selection in April’s draft, Hunter will want to warm up his hamstrings for that trip to Paycor Stadium.

Chase, Tee Higgins and Burrow will surely test the rookie as a cornerback. And Taylor, new defensive coordinator Al Golden and the Bengals will do everything they can to keep Hunter on the sideline while Trevor Lawrence and the offense are on the field.

Low-hanging fruit

The Bengals’ dismal trend was low-hanging fruit for Stephen A. Smith.

“I think there needs to be an investigation into the coaching staff and the assistant analytics,” Smith said on Thursday’s edition of First Take. “What the hell are you doing in the offseason and during the preseason that you can't start out the first couple of weeks of a season winning a game with Joe Burrow as your quarterback, with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins as your wideouts over these last several years?

“That's how they started. Why? Why is it that you don't start playing football until mid-September when training camp starts in July?”

Jacksonville opens the season at home on Sept. 7 against the Carolina Panthers before heading to Cincinnati.

Jul 25, 2025; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9), left, talks with head coach Zac Taylor, right, during training camp practice. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Images | Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Images

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