The Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback, Joe Burrow, made a promising return to the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, marking his first game since wrist surgery late in the 2023 season.
During his initial drive, Burrow completed 5 of 7 passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. He effectively utilized both short and mid-range throws, going 2 for 2 on third downs. A notable moment came when he nearly found Tee Higgins for a deep touchdown in double coverage, but the Buccaneers’ defense successfully disrupted the play.
Burrow’s precision was on display, with an impressive average release time of just 2.26 seconds, based on Next Gen Stats.
Joe Burrow on that opening drive: 5-of-7 passing, 51 yards, 1 TD.
Averaged 2.26 seconds time to throw, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
3-of-4 passing on throws of 10+ air yards. Lone incompletion was the deep ball to Tee Higgins in double coverage that was batted away at the end.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) August 10, 2024
Burrow only played for one drive, which was his first action since November 16, 2023. He missed the last seven games of the 2023 season due to the wrist injury.
It’s still uncertain how much more Burrow will play in the preseason, as he mentioned that the call lies with head coach Zac Taylor. Interestingly, he expressed a desire to take a hit during a game to help him mentally prepare for the regular season, admitting that not getting hit during his debut felt out of the ordinary for a Bengals player.
“It would probably help me mentally more than anything,” Burrow told reporters. “Just understanding falling can hurt. Just get that thing hit one time before you’re out there in a real game.”
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This matchup also marked Burrow’s first preseason appearance since 2021. He missed the preseason in 2022 due to injury, and his absence last year was attributed to a calf issue. The Bengals’ slow starts in previous seasons have raised questions about the impact of their lack of preseason play. They went 1-3 at the start of the 2023 season and 1-2 the year before, whereas they began 2021 with a 2-1 record after Burrow played.
The Bengals are hoping to avoid another rocky start this year, with two preseason games left against the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts before the regular season kicks off.