Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is ready to remind everyone — including the Cleveland Browns — of what he’s capable of after missing a chunk of last season due to injury.
A wrist injury ended Burrow’s fourth NFL campaign in Week 11. The Bengals finished 9-8 and Cincinnati missed the postseason.
With that in the rearview mirror, Burrow is ready to insert himself back into the conversation as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
“I believe that,” Burrow said during an appearance on Pardon My Take when asked if he felt people have forgotten about him. “That’s what happens when you get hurt though. You don’t play football. People forget about you.
“That’s part of the game. If you’re not out there and people aren’t watching you, then there’s nothing to talk about. So I’m going to give people something to talk about this year. I’m excited about it.”
As for the AFC North, Burrow predicts that his Bengals will win their third division title in four years.
“Bengals first, and then I don’t care,” Burrow said when asked to predict the AFC North.
Joe Burrow Praises Steelers Star TJ Watt
Burrow also weighed in on some of the notable defensive stars he has to go up against in the AFC North. While he acknowledged Browns reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett as a major threat, he pointed to Pittsburgh Steelers pass-rusher TJ Watt as one of the more uniquee challenges.
“Yeah, I can definitely feel [him],” Burrow said of Watt’s presence. “TJ is a unique player in this league. There’s no other defensive lineman that I have to treat like a DB. I have to be conscious about where he’s at because he’s just going to jump up and catch it. And there’s nobody else who can do that.
“You have to be alert for him in the pass game, which is very unique, I would say.”
Watt finished runner-up to Garrett in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Burrow faced the Browns once last season. Cleveland notched a dominant 24-3 win, holding Burrow to 82 yards passing.
Myles Garrett, Browns Defense Seeking Redemption
Garrett had an outstanding personal year and was the cornerstone of the Browns’ league-leading defense. The Browns led the NFL in total defense allowed with 270.2 yards per game last season.
The team returns almost all the key pieces from that unit. That includes DE Za’Darius Smith, DT Shelby Harris, DT Maurice Hurst II and S Rodney McLeod, who all re-signed in free agency.
However, the season concluded on a sour note, as Cleveland suffered a crushing 45-14 defeat to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round. The loss has fueled Garrett’s motivation throughout the offseason.
“It’s definitely at the forefront of my mind always. That’s the last taste of football that we all had. I plan to make that apparent to everyone and continue to keep it as motivation for myself. We stepped out. We didn’t get the job done. We didn’t execute, and we fell short of our goals,” Garrett said on June 12. “Regardless of the injuries and anything else that transpired, we fell short, and we didn’t complete the mission. So, we have to lock back in. We have to circle the wagons and figure out how we can get better. First thing we can do is get out here and know exactly what to do in every situation. Be perfect in your P’s and Qs.”
Garrett and the Browns open the season against the Dallas Cowboys on September 8.
