Williams: No Joe Burrow. No Super Bowl expectations. Cincinnati Bengals just having fun

[Arkansas Bengal]

Jason Williams

Cincinnati Enquirer

 

The Cincinnati Bengals are having fun. They’re fun to watch. They don’t have the pressure of Super Bowl expectations anymore.

 

They’re just going out and playing – and they’re winning. The Bengals clobbered the pesky Indianapolis Colts, 34-14, on Sunday at Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati's second win in three full games without Joe Burrow.

 

Who saw this coming when Burrow went down with a season-ending injury? Who thought this could turn into a more enjoyable team to watch?

 

The Bengals have embodied the spirit of backup quarterback Jake Browning – an underdog who’s living in the moment and taking full advantage of the opportunity.

Cincinnati somehow is in the middle of the playoff hunt. The Bengals play Minnesota at Paycor Stadium on Saturday, and that’s all the matters to the locker room.

 

Bengals players aren’t getting caught up in who must beat who and all the different playoff scenarios fans and media love to talk about.

 

They’re just playin’ pressure-free ball.

 

“I’m not talking about the future,” center Ted Karras said. “We talked about the Super Bowl all offseason, (and) we started 0-2. That’s just ridiculous.”

 

Said offensive tackle Jonah Williams: “We always try to hold ourselves to the same standards regardless of the circumstance, but there’s definitely a loose feeling out there.”

 

How the heck are the Bengals doing this?

 

The play-for-each-other culture coach Zac Taylor has instilled in the franchise since he arrived in 2019 is really shining right now. There’s a I-have-to-step-up mentality in the locker room. Cornerback Mike Hilton said he can tell by the mood in the locker room every day that guys have a sense of wanting to show that they can still succeed without Burrow.

 

“It’s the feel in the locker room,” Hilton said. “We know who we are as a team. We went far the last two years, and we still pretty much have that same roster. We know what it takes.”

 

Look at how everyone has stepped up on offense, even guys who were non-factors when Burrow was healthy. Rookie running back Chase Brown is a classic example. He struggled with pass-blocking early in the season and then he got hurt.

 

But Brown has been called upon the last two games, and he’s come through for his team. His 54-yard touchdown on a screen pass showed how fast and talented he is. Brown sprinted along the sideline and then juked a defender near the goal line, going in for the first score of the game with 6:31 left in the first quarter.

 

Suddenly, the Bengals have a running game. They’re mixing it up between Brown and Joe Mixon. The Bengals have an effective short passing game. Browning is sharing the ball across all his weapons. Nine guys caught a pass Sunday, seven of them had multiple receptions.

 

The offense is more balanced. It’s not just Burrow-to-Ja’Marr Chase, special as that duo is.

 

Frankly, the Bengals offense has been a lot more fun to watch the last two games. They’ve scored 34 points in both games. The Bengals had only scored that many points once previously this season, a 34-20 win against Arizona in early October.

 

“These guys believe in what we're doing,” Taylor said. “Everybody has stepped up.”

 

You can roll your eyes at the one-game-at-a-time cliché. But it’s how the Bengals are succeeding.

Said Taylor: “We have to prove it again next week.”

 

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2023/12/10/nfl-super-bowl-expectations-cincinnati-bengals-jake-browning-indianapolis-colts-afc-playoff-picture/71842359007/