PLAYER OF THE DAY

QB Joe Burrow

The structure of Sunday's Bengals practice is as close as you'll get to intrasquad scrimmages in those old-timey training camps.

Head coach Zac Taylor devoted about half of the two-hour practice to move-the-ball drills for the first and second teams. No tackling, but squaring up physically was required to stop the ball carrier. And the guy calling penalties and ball possession was special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons. Not Land Clark, the NFL ref here in here last week.

But Burrow himself made it real enough before the first snap when he barked to the sideline, "It's a game. It's a game. Stay back."

What a game. Burrow flawlessly directed touchdown drives on three of four possessions lasting 11, 10, and 11 plays. Sometimes they scored twice. After the third one, veteran right guard Lucas Patrick joked that he had been converted to the passing game.

"I love running the ball more than anyone," said Patrick after practice, an Opening Day starter for three different teams before he arrived here via March's free agency period.

"But with the special players we have outside, which is a coupe of guys, and with Nine in total command, it's pretty much like explosive runs because he hands the ball off 30 yards down the field … It's going to be hard to stop when we can wear out people for eight to 12 plays and punch it in. It's going to be long, long games for defenses."

Burrow took advantage of the absence of three cornerbacks who are probably going to be on the roster in starters Dax Hill and Cam Taylor-Britt, as well as backup Marco Wilson.

Also down was starting tight end Mike Gesicki, with an unknown ailment that's believed not serious. But that didn't stop Burrow from sifting 15 of 18 passes that included a 17-yard touchdown and fourth-and-one conversion to Tanner Hudson, Gesicki's replacement.

As the offensive line mingled in their sweaty smiles on the sidelines after the third touchdown, they looked on with a "We're going to score points this year," vibe.

Patrick, who broke in with the Aaron Rodgers Packers that went to back-to-back NFC title games, is convinced.

"Reminds me of some teams that went pretty deep in the playoffs that had chances of playing in February," said Patrick, who flipped with Cody Ford this week to work with the ones. "This team is shaping up like that. We're challenging the defense. The defense is going to learn from this. We're challenged by the fronts. This is an impressive team."

Burrow overcame "a sack," by defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. to get the first touchdown, flipping a fourth-and-three conversion to All-Pro wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase in the middle of a zone. That's where he found Hudson moments later on fourth-and-one, and a few plays after that for a touchdown posting up between safeties Jordan Battle and Geno Stone.

It wasn't all run-and-gun. Running back Chase Brown, who says the offseason tweaks to the running game have put it ahead of last year's schedule, bulled in from the 2 for the next touchdown.

It was set up by Burrow's thread to Chase on the left sideline despite cornerback Josh Newton's good coverage, complete with Burrow's admiring bellow, "That's some great stuff, One."

Burrow, with Zac Taylor in his ear, immediately called to put the ball at the one for a first and goal. After Burrow was chased out of pocket by Jenkins and threw an incompletion, Brown churned behind Patrick and center Karras for the score, and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., exulted, "Walk-in. Every time, Zac."

"We've still got a ton of things to fix. I want to see this film," said Brown, who still thinks they're ahead of where they've been offensively in his three seasons. "Today was a good day. I think we're much ahead. Having everybody here this offseason. The time we put in together since April. The (comfort) of the group because we've been together as long as we've been."

And, of course, having the league's best wide receiver tandem doesn't hurt, either. It's the first time Burrow, Chase, and Tee Higgins have had a camp together in three years and it shows. Burrow fired a 20-yarder to Higgins on an over route he ran so well that he was all alone. Later, Higgins' block on the perimeter sprung wide receiver Andrei Iosivas for six yards.

It looked like the last touchdown, from the 10, came on a vintage Higgins jump ball. But Simmons waved it off after Burrow hurried them to the line and tried to catch the defense with too many men on the field. But they were too quick.

No worries. After handing it off to Chase Brown twice, Burrow converted a third-and-four for a touchdown when he dropped a fade into Chase covered by Newton on the left sideline.

"Special is the word for that guy," Patrick said of Burrow. "I remember a ball he threw to Tee yesterday running across the middle and he put it in the perfect spot. The control that he has over the ball and the feel he has in the huddle is elite."

Patrick calls Burrow "an amplifier." The kind of guy who "raises," other players' games. On Sunday before practice, Burrow told Patrick how he wanted to set up a certain play.

"He's giving me little pointers that are almost third level of the offense. Which can be the difference in an explosive and positive play," Patrick said. "Total command."

PLAY OF THE DAY

WR Isaiah Williams

The Bengals claimed the rookie Williams off waivers from the Lions last November and haven't been disappointed. He returned punts solidly in the five-game winning streak that ended the season and in his first Bengals training camp he's been a reliable resource for all quarterbacks, particularly No. 2 Jake Browning.

On Sunday, Willims made a marvelous touchdown catch on a long one from Browning when he basically scaled linebacker Shaka Heyward, jumped off, and caught the ball coming down while still tied up with Heyward.

It was nice toss by Browning, since he heaved it the other way rolling against the grain and catching Williams on a long-developing wheel route.

As good as Williams' catch, that's not what made it happen. It was his route. Williams sold his clear-out so well that Heyward, assigned to drop on the clear-out route, didn't see the wheel route until the last instant.

"Based on the positioning, I wasn't going to let it drop in the bucket," Williams said. "I just wanted to go attack the ball. I just went to go attack the ball and made the play."

QUOTE OF THE DAY

After completing a pass, QB Jake Browning to rookie DE Shemar Stewart, who dropped in coverage on the play:

"You just have PBUs on the line of scrimmage."

Slants and Screens

Stewart continues to look like a first-rounder should. After wrecking Saturday night's practice, he came back and got an early sack of Browning Sunday. No PBUs Sunday after racking up several in his first week of practice. But he did drop a few times in coverage, and he also lined up inside on some short-yardage plays.

Patrick saw it first-hand in one-on-one pass rush Saturday:

"I think what will make him special is his combination of speed and size. He hit me with an inside shake and then back outside. And I bit on it so hard because his speed and lateral quickness are very impressive to come inside, threaten my inside to make me go down and then rush outside." …

Count new Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden as a Burrow guy, too, after he talked to the media following Sunday's outing.

"He's so poised on the line of scrimmage. He doesn't do anything fast. He tries to manipulate either the cadence or some kind of pre-snap tell. And he has so many answers," Golden said. "The one thing that is underrated is some of those balls, if you were here (Saturday) night, some of those touch throws, the overs, just incredible throws. Guys are draped on (the receiver) and the ball can only be caught if it's in one spot.

"I can't remember the last time we had an interception on him, and I think that's the greatest compliment you can give a quarterback. Because the ball will go out of bounds or he'll eat it rather than give up a big play. And you've got to be mentally tough to do that." …

Golden is also a big fan of safety Jordan Battle. Last year, Battle was embattled. Not now in a re-set with Golden.

"I think the biggest thing is he's in really good physical shape, so that's a starting point," Golden said. "It allows him to play longer at a higher level. His communication is really well. He's a better tackler than he was a year ago. I just think he has command of the defense right now. I feel him out there. He has the ability to play a lot of different positions for us, which is exciting." …

Right tackle Amarius Mims didn't want to talk specifics about the ailments that have kept him out a few days before he lined back up for Sunday's four drives. He came out halfway through the last drive and said he's working through some things. He may be, but he's also working through a very solid camp.

Mims said he talked to offensive line coach Scott Peters about Peters' desire to let him know how much they need him out there. He said he's ready to go if they want him to play in Thursday night's preseason opener (7:30-Cincinnati's FOX 19) in Philadelphia.

"It's a game of physical violence. It's a game you can beat a man and not go to jail," Mims said. "I'll be in pain every day for the rest of my life. It's something you have to fight through for the good of the team." ….