Photo Credit: Todd Rosenberg/GettyImages
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow expects to play Sunday against the Houston Texans despite dealing with back tightness following the team’s season-opening win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Burrow was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice and did not make any significant throws during the portion open to reporters. Instead, he focused on mental reps while the Bengals managed his workload.
Burrow said he first noticed the soreness several hours after Sunday’s 33-27 victory and could not identify a specific play that caused the issue.
“I didn’t really start feeling it till after the game,” Burrow said. “That’s typically how it happens.”
The quarterback dismissed the idea of sitting out against Houston simply as a precaution.
“That’s ridiculous,” Burrow said.
Burrow Willing to Play Through Soreness
Burrow said he expects the Bengals to monitor how he feels throughout the week, but he does not believe the limited practice schedule will affect his preparation.
“We get a lot of mental reps and we walk through a lot of plays, so I’ll be all right,” Burrow said.
The injury comes after Burrow took a hard hit while scrambling for a first down against Tampa Bay. He gained the necessary yardage on the play and later helped extend the drive, which ended with a touchdown pass.
Burrow said he was comfortable with the decision to use his legs despite the contact.
“I was comfortable with it,” Burrow said. “It was either that or kick a field goal. It’s a decision that I made.”
The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback has dealt with several injuries throughout his career. He missed nine games last season after suffering a turf toe injury and has previously played through injuries, including a strained calf in 2023.
Burrow said he continues to work on finding the right balance between taking risks and protecting himself during games.
“You have to think about the situation of the game, what kind of game you are in,” Burrow said. “That’s something I’m still working on, for sure.”
Bengals Prepare for Houston Defense
Burrow completed 25 of 35 passes for 254 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the win over Tampa Bay. Cincinnati will now face a Houston defense led by edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.
Burrow highlighted Houston’s pass rush and secondary as major challenges heading into Sunday’s game.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor also praised the Texans’ defensive talent and physicality.
“They have elite talent across the board on their defense,” Taylor said. “It poses a lot of challenges for you.”
The Bengals also plan to get wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase more involved after he caught two passes in the opener. Burrow acknowledged that Cincinnati needs to create more opportunities for its top receiver.
“You can’t come out of a game like that and have Ja’Marr Chase touch the ball two times,” Burrow said. “That’ll certainly be an emphasis.”
Taylor agreed and said the Bengals need to find more ways to get Chase involved in the offense.
Burrow remains focused on preparing for Houston rather than looking beyond Sunday.
“We’re taking it one week at a time,” he said. “We’re excited about the opportunity this week.”
