FLOWERY BRANCH -- After leading LSU to a national championship, quarterback Joe Burrow was selected No. 1 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL draft.
Burrow went 2-7-1 as a rookie before he was injured. Last season, the Bengals finished 10-7, got on a roll and made it to the Super Bowl behind Burrow’s pinpoint passing and a stingy defense.
He has the Bengals off to a 3-3 start as they continue to revamp the offensive line and try to recapture the defensive tenacity that helped them reach the Super Bowl.
“He’s a good quarterback,” Falcons cornerback Darren Hall said. “He showed that last year taking them to the Super Bowl. He’s still a good quarterback. We are going out there doing what we have to do to affect him in the passing game.”
The Falcons and the Bengals will meet at 1 p.m. Sunday at Paycor Stadium.
Burrow has completed 152 of 228 passes (66.7%) for 1,616 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Bengals have started using more read-pass-option (RPO) plays to help slow defenses. Burrow was sacked a league-leading 51 times last season and has been sacked 21 times this season.
“Every week is going to be different,” Burrow said to the Cincinnati media on Wednesday. “Last week, we were able to get the RPOs going. We’ll see how the week goes and see what we end up doing this week. But, you know, I feel good about where we’re at.”
The Falcons like Burrow and his personality.
“I’m a very confident person myself,” Hall said. “I like that he exudes his confidence out on the field and in interviews. It’s a hard league, especially when you are playing quarterback.”
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The Bow Tie Chronicles
Atlanta Falcons 2022 schedule
Sept. 11: Saints 27, Falcons 26
Sept. 18: Rams 31, Falcons 27
Sept. 25 Falcons 27, Seahawks 23
Oct. 2 Falcons 23, Browns 20
Oct. 9 Buccaneers 21, Falcons 15
Oct. 16 Falcons 28, 49ers 14
Oct. 23 at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Oct. 30 vs. Carolina, 1 p.m.
Nov. 6 vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1 p.m.
Nov. 10 at Carolina, 8:15 p.m.
Nov. 20 vs. Chicago, 1 p.m.
Nov. 27 at Washington, 1 p.m.
Dec. 4 vs. Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
BYE WEEK
Dec. 18 at New Orleans, TBD
Dec. 24 at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Jan. 1 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m.
Jan. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, TBD
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