Joe Burrow Calls Preseason Performance ‘Average’ Despite Two-TD Quarter vs Eagles

To most Bengals fans, Joe Burrow looked like he was already in midseason form on Thursday night. To Joe Burrow, it was just… average.

The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback played two series in the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, completing 9 of 10 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns in just one quarter of work. He missed his first throw but then carved up the Eagles’ backups with ease, showing instant chemistry with star receiver Ja’Marr Chase.

Still, Burrow’s postgame review sounded more like a perfectionist than a satisfied star.

“Today was average. Today was average,” Burrow said. “But overall, I’m happy with where I’m at. Next week I’d like to be a little better.”

A Job, Not a Statement

Burrow admitted that facing Philadelphia’s second-string defense doesn’t exactly fire him up. His focus was on execution, not stats.

“I think for myself I could have been better,” he said after posting a 157.5 passer rating. “I missed the first throw. I put all the other ones where I wanted to put them. I would’ve liked to have spun it a little better consistently. But we scored two touchdowns, so I’ll learn from a couple reps and get better.”

Cleaning Up the Details

One area Burrow did not overlook was the team’s mistakes. The Bengals committed eight penalties for 68 yards, something the quarterback said must improve before Week 1.

“We got to be better. Too many procedural penalties, too many errors,” Burrow said. “It just wasn’t clean enough across the board.”

Why the Starters Played

Head coach Zac Taylor has typically kept his starters out of preseason games, but he’s taking a different approach in 2025. The goal is to avoid another slow start and get Burrow used to the speed and physicality of live action.

“The threat of being hit is a big reason why we want Joe out there,” Taylor explained. “You can’t simulate that in practice. I think it will be beneficial for us in the long run.”

Final Takeaway

If the mission was to knock off some rust, build early rhythm, and escape without injury, Thursday night was a win for the Bengals’ offense. The defense, however, has plenty of work ahead after surrendering 34 points in a 34-27 loss to Philadelphia.