AFC Championship Weekend: Bengals @ Chiefs

[Stripes]

I think it's a case of deciding to be offended even when there's clearly no insult there, and that's okay. Burrow did the same thing with Martindale, and if the Chiefs fans turn that "angst" into a couple extra decibels of noise it'll be worth it to them.

[membengal]

Re: the references earlier to Burrow's comms going down for some plays during the Titans game and Burrow having to call some plays, Morrison has some more details:

https://theathletic.com/3095022/2022/01/26/inaudible-audibles-even-radio-silence-couldnt-stop-joe-burrow-from-reaching-afc-title-game/

Quote

 

For a young quarterback playing in the first road playoff game of his NFL career, the idea of the communications system in his helmet failing as the din from 69,000 shakes the senses might be viewed as maddening, maybe even terrifying.

But not Joe Burrow. The second-year Bengals quarterback was in that situation for the first time ever Saturday during the team’s 19-16 divisional playoff win against the Titans, and he found it thrilling.

“That was kind of exciting for me,” Burrow said. “Zac (Taylor) always kind of jokes that, ‘Hey, don’t pretend like the headset goes out so you can call your own plays.’ But on Saturday the headset did go out.”

The malfunction began midway through the team’s final drive of the first half with the game tied 6-6. Having moved from their own 25 to the 39, the Bengals were facing second-and-9. Burrow cupped his ears in the huddle, thinking the crowd noise was drowning out the radio communication, but then he turned to the bench and gives a subtle shake of the head to let head coach Zac Taylor know he can’t hear any of the play calls.

He started to run to the sideline to get the call in person, but the game clock and play clock were running, and the Bengals only had one timeout remaining.

Burrow did a U-turn and headed back to the huddle to call his own play. With the play clock down to one, Trey Hopkins triggered the snap, and Burrow hit Tee Higgins on an out-breaking route along the right sideline for 15 yards and a first down.

On the next play, Taylor sent wide receiver Tyler Boyd in from the sideline for tight end Drew Sample, but it wasn’t a messenger situation. Boyd entered the huddle a few players away from Burrow without saying a word to him. Burrow called his own play on first-and-10.

Tight end C.J. Uzomah and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Boyd and Higgins all ran quick routes short of the first-down marker, but Burrow felt the pocket collapse and dumped off a check down to Joe Mixon two yards behind the line of scrimmage. Mixon got up field for a four-yard gain, setting up second-and-6 at the Tennessee 42.

CBS cameras cut to the sideline, showing Taylor pacing, not even bothering to look at his call sheet. Unlike Burrow, this wasn’t the first time Taylor had been through this. It wasn’t even the first time he had been through it with one of the quarterbacks on the field Saturday.

“When we were in Miami, it felt like the headset went out all the time,” Taylor said. “(Ryan) Tannehill would have to do that. You always have to be prepared for that.”

Burrow was. After the dump off to Mixon, he got the team to the line without huddling, then audibled away from his initial call. He walked out to the right to make sure Uzomah, Higgins and Boyd had the call.

He called for the snap with eight seconds left on the game clock and rifled a pass to Higgins streaking up the seam. Higgins caught it at the 29 and took it down to the 20.

Higgins fumbled as he hit the ground with 2:28 remaining, but the ball squirted directly to Chase, who got tackled with 2:22 remaining. There was plenty of time to get lined up for another play before the two-minute warning, but Burrow retired as play-caller for the day and headed to the sideline to get the backup helmet while the clock was still ticking down.

“I had to call three or four plays on my and all of them worked,” Burrow said Wednesday. “So that was fun.”

“Fun” might not be the word Taylor would have picked, but the experience added another entry to the list of things that have impressed him about Burrow over the last two seasons.

“Joe did a really good job,” he said. “He did a great job managing that, finding completions for us. You really like that because you get a window into his brain on what he really likes in that go-to moment. There was no surprises there, but he found his completions. He helped us move the ball down the field.”

Burrow took sacks on two of the three plays after the two-minute warning, the second of which moved the Bengals from Tennessee to 24 to the 36, forcing Evan McPherson to attempt a 54-yard field goal instead of one from 42.

But McPherson nailed it from nearly the same spot where he would hit the 52-yard game-winner about two hours later.

And while Burrow was done calling plays for the game, it might not be too long before he finds himself back in that role, either by accident or by design.

“It’s something we’ll always be looking to as further seasons go and he gets even more experience in the league,” Taylor said. “That’s something you want the quarterback to be able to go out there and call a four- or five-play sequence and keep the defense on their heels and let Joe assess what’s going on defensively and get us into the right looks.

“You don’t always want to do that because he’s gotta go through a physical play and you gotta be thinking then you gotta process, ‘OK, what’s the down and distance, do we run or pass here?'” Taylor continued. “But I think it was good in the dose that he did it. It’s certainly something in the future that he’ll have the freedom to do and do for longer stretches than he’s done at points this year.”

 

 

[Stripes]

I enjoyed this. The twinge of open jealousy was appreciated especially since Eisen at least had a slice of that “Joe should avoid Cincinnati” pie.

[ArmyBengal]

You know I’ve been reluctant to watch any content about the upcoming game. I don’t really want to hear one way or another. Don’t want to get too confident and don’t want to think we’re doomed.

I’m liking the matchup, while being very aware the Chiefs play very well at home.

Just curious if anyone else is all in on what’s being said or like me and reluctant to listen ??

[101Airborne]

1 minute ago, ArmyBengal said:

You know I’ve been reluctant to watch any content about the upcoming game. I don’t really want to hear one way or another. Don’t want to get too confident and don’t want to think we’re doomed.

I’m liking the matchup, while being very aware the Chiefs play very well at home.

Just curious if anyone else is all in on what’s being said or like me and reluctant to listen ??

I'm all in, but then I'm always watching football shit even when the Bengals get eliminated. I just love the game and love hearing about teams and players. That said I am in a strange place. On the one hand, I am nervous as hell that we'll lose or get blown out or something horrible will happen and it'll be, "Yeah well, Bengals and all lol." On the other hand, I picked us to make the AFCCG and lose before the season started; so if we do lose I can at least say I picked it perfectly. Obviously I'd loved to be proven wrong at this point. Everyone is so high on the Bengals right now, even fans of other teams, sports casters, players around the league. I need to calm my ass down with some bourbon and just let it ride. Or maybe I need to say that making it this far just isn't enough and that nothing less than a Superb Owl will do....

GIMME THE OWL!

[AMPHAR]

28 minutes ago, ArmyBengal said:

You know I’ve been reluctant to watch any content about the upcoming game. I don’t really want to hear one way or another. Don’t want to get too confident and don’t want to think we’re doomed.

I’m liking the matchup, while being very aware the Chiefs play very well at home.

Just curious if anyone else is all in on what’s being said or like me and reluctant to listen ??

I’m consuming as much as I can with a Ozark break every now and then. 

[Stripes]

32 minutes ago, ArmyBengal said:

You know I’ve been reluctant to watch any content about the upcoming game. I don’t really want to hear one way or another. Don’t want to get too confident and don’t want to think we’re doomed.

I’m liking the matchup, while being very aware the Chiefs play very well at home.

Just curious if anyone else is all in on what’s being said or like me and reluctant to listen ??

I'm watching a lot of it, but the vast majority is terrible and worthless. You're not missing much.

[101Airborne]

6 minutes ago, Stripes said:

I'm watching a lot of it, but the vast majority is terrible and worthless. You're not missing much.

This is true, as always a lot of the most predictable repetitive shit the media churns out. I just can't stop myself because they are actually saying good shit about the Bengals. NO mention of "how many years since," nonsense. It's like hostess cakes; worthless junk not worth consuming and yet I keep eatin em. 

[membengal]

4 hours ago, Stripes said:

I enjoyed this. The twinge of open jealousy was appreciated especially since Eisen at least had a slice of that “Joe should avoid Cincinnati” pie.

That’s so damn good. 

[ArmyBengal]

How does it feel ??

I’m pretty sure I can speak for all Bengals fans:
PRETTY FUCKING AWESOME !!!

[membengal]

I like how Rich asks that as a Jets fan. It feels amazing.

[COB]

Lovely to hear him reference a draft from 28 years ago as sort of the thing that defines us as an organization.  Like we’ve been absolute trash ever since then.  And that narrative, coming from national guys like Rich Eisen, gets pushed over and over and over.  
 

 

[ArmyBengal]

Seriously, here we are January 27th and our team is STILL playing football.
It's been so long, I had all but forgotten how much fun and exciting it is.

It also makes me appreciate you guys here on the board.
We deserve this and Sunday CANNOT come fast enough !!

WHODEY !!!

[membengal]

1 hour ago, COB said:

Lovely to hear him reference a draft from 28 years ago as sort of the thing that defines us as an organization.  Like we’ve been absolute trash ever since then.  And that narrative, coming from national guys like Rich Eisen, gets pushed over and over and over.  

It made me happy only because he is clearly full of bitterness over us making this leap and the Jets still being...the Jets. 

[AMPHAR]

1 hour ago, COB said:

Lovely to hear him reference a draft from 28 years ago as sort of the thing that defines us as an organization.  Like we’ve been absolute trash ever since then.  And that narrative, coming from national guys like Rich Eisen, gets pushed over and over and over.  

Yeah.  I find that annoying.    It took him a while to get back to Palmer.   National media just really won't let that era go for the Bengals.

I'm surprised someone hasn't trotted out the Siragusa coach ticket Free Agency story this week.   Probably wait for Superbowl week or something.

[COB]

He is bitter.  “I want that.  I want that.  I want that.”

[AMPHAR]

The Bengals success is 100% because they went back to classic clean uniforms. 

The Jets have ugly unis, a mess they created.  I really don't see too much success  for the Jets until they get back to the 80s look or better.   I think Rex Ryan Jets had the classic look and they went to the AFC Championship.

 

[COB]

Burrow got his teeth fixed as soon as he got that rookie money.  I don’t see anyone on the Jets getting their teeth fixed.  We’re just out here bossing people around, with great teeth. 

[membengal]

1 hour ago, COB said:

He is bitter.  “I want that.  I want that.  I want that.”

It was glorious

[membengal]

 

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[membengal]

 

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[membengal]