For the first time in Paycor Stadium history, the Bengals host their second straight game Sunday (1 p.m-Cincinnati's Local 12) featuring a duel of quarterbacks drafted No. 1 overall when Trevor Lawrence comes in with his Jaguars fresh off their dismantling of the Patriots.
The Bengals' Joe Burrow, who has yet to lose to Lawrence in three games dating back to their 2019 national title game meeting, looks to be heating up withpretty much the exact same numbers that yielded his career year of 2024 when he led the NFL in touchdown passes, yards, and yards per game.
In the first three games of this season, as he did in 2024, Burrow has hit 73 of 103 passes for a 70.9% completion percentage. In '24, he threw for five touchdowns with no picks and 746 yards for a 107.5 passer rating.
After posting his best passer rating ever against the Steelers (123.9) last Sunday in Pittsburgh despite losing rookie wide receiver Colbie Young on the game's first play, Burrow has thrown for three fewer yards than '24 (743), to go with six touchdowns, an interception, and a rating of 106.6.
"I thought last week he was on it," said head coach Zac Taylor after Friday's practice. "That was a hard one because losing Colbie early in the game, there was a lot of new personnel groupings we had to get to. They did a lot of things on defense from a personnel standpoint that we had to continue to adjust to, and he just kept finding completions on everything, skipping through one and two quickly and getting a three in the progression.
"I thought he played great. I thought he's seeing it really well. I think he's really comfortable right now."
Burrow is 4-2 in two games against Lawrence (2-0), three against Baker Mayfield (1-2), and one against Matthew Stafford (1-0).
Lawrence has thrown seven touchdowns, two picks, and his 107.3 passer rating has engineered big wins over Cleveland (34-10) and New England (35-6) that gives him ten wins in his last 11 regular-season games.
"He plays fast. He operates fast," Taylor said. "He can make every throw on the field. Plays really fast. Can use his legs. They will use his legs with some design quarterback runs and stuff."
Both offenses are looking to get their explosive plays going. The Bengals and Jags each have a 32-yard touchdown as their longest passes of the season with Jakobi Meyers putting it up for the Jags and Ja'Marr Chase's highlight catch in Houston leading the Bengals.
"The back's fast," said Taylor of Jags running back Bhayshul Tuten. "They've got good speed as well, so they can really stress you that way. I think they've got a really good offensive line. They do a good job complementing their runs and passes, where it all looks the same, and they try to hit you with explosive plays."
The Jags, who have the No. 10 running game in the league, have thrown it 81 times and run it 86, courtesy of the big leads. The Bengals have run it 68 times compared to Burrow's 103 pass attempts.
Slants and Screen
With 80 yards Sunday, Chase can pass one of the great names in Bengals history. It would give him 7,102 receiving yards and move him into third place on the Bengals all-time list past Bengals Ring of Honor member Isaac Curtis …
Against the Steelers, Chase's 98 yards give him 7,022 in 81 games, making him the fourth fastest player in NFL history to reach 7,000 yards behind AFL icon Lance Alworth, former Falcon Julio Jones, and Chase chum Justin Jefferson of the Vikings …
Starting cornerback DJ Turner II went limited for a second straight day after showing up on the injury report Thursday, but Zac Taylor called him good to go …
Taylor has had to juggle his injured secondary this week, and 48 hours from kickoff he left open the option of dipping into the practice squad …
Backup safety Kyle Dugger (quad) is out after never getting on the field this week …
Starting safety Jordan Battle (hamstring) went full Friday afer being limited this week and is good to go. The other starter, Bryan Cook (ankle) went limited for a third straight day and is questionable …
So is right guard Dalton Risner (knee) after he went full Friday following a week he didn't practice when he injured his knee trying to grab the fumble on the last play …
Also questionable is backup linebacker Swayze Bozeman (groin) after he didn't practice Friday following a limited day Thursday …
Defensive tackle B.J. Hill (Achilles) practiced for the first time this week Friday and is questionable after going limited …
Starting defensive tackle, Jonathan Allen, went full Friday after resting earlier in the week and is go…
Here's the list Paycor overall No. 1 quarterback games:
11/26/2004 Carson Palmer vs. Vinny Testaverde, Bengals beat Dallas, 26-3
10/02/05 Palmer vs. David Carr, Bengals beat Houston 16-10
11/20/05 Palmer vs. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis beats Bengals, 45-37
10/29/06 Palmer vs. Michael Vick, Atlanta beats Bengals, 29-27
12/6/09 Palmer vs. Matthew Stafford, Bengals beat Detroit, 23-13
10/25/20 Joe Burrow vs. Baker Mayfeld, Cleveland beats Bengals, 37-34
9/30/21 Burrow vs. Trevor Lawrence, Bengals beat Jacksonville, 24-21
11/07/21 Burrow vs. Mayfield, Cleveland beats Bengals, 41-16
9/25/23 Burrow vs. Stafford, Bengals beat Rams, 19-16
9/14/25 Burrow vs. Lawrence, Bengals beat Jacksonville, 31-27
9/13/26 Burrow vs. Mayfield, Bengals beat Tampa Bay, 33-27
