The last time Joe Burrow played in the Superdome, he was leading LSU to the 2019 national championship.
He will have fond memories of his time with the Tigers and many in the stands will have fond memories of it as well.
But on Sunday, Burrow will be a visitor in his adopted state as he leads the Cincinnati Bengals against the New Orleans Saints.
“It’s a place that a lot of good memories were made,” Burrow said. “But it’s a business trip. We’re going in to win a game.”
The Bengals (2-3) have struggled thus far to regain the form that brought them to the Super Bowl last season.
After losing its first two games, Cincinnati seemed to be turning things around with a two-game winning streak and was on the verge of winning at Baltimore last Sunday night. However, Justin Tucker kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to give the Ravens a 19-17 victory.
All three of the Bengals’ losses have come on a field goal on the final play of the game.
The offense has not been as productive through five games this season as it was at the end of 17 games last season.
It has dropped from No. 13 to No. 22 in total offense, from No. 7 to No. 12 in passing offense and from No. 7 to No. 16 in scoring.
“Every game we’ve put together some really good drives, some really good spots, some really good quarters, halves,” Burrow said. “We just have put it all together for an entire game.”
Tackle Jonah Williams (knee) and wide receiver Tee Higgins (ankle) missed practice Wednesday.
New Orleans put together a complete offensive game for the first time this season in a 39-32 home victory against Seattle that ended a three-game losing streak last Sunday.
Saints starting quarterback Jameis Winston has missed the last two games because of back and ankle injuries and has been replaced by Andy Dalton, who started 133 games for Cincinnati from 2011-19. Winston was limited in practice Wednesday.
Meanwhile, jack-of-all-trades Taysom Hill ran for three touchdowns and threw for another on his only pass of the season against the Seahawks.
Hill, who was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after finishing with a career-high 112 rushing yards, will continue to supplement either Dalton or Winston while also contributing as a tight end and special teams leader.
“This thing is just evolving and we’ll just see where we go,” Hill said of his role. “It’s a fluid deal.”
Whoever plays quarterback for the Saints might be working with a short-handed cast of receivers.
Michael Thomas (foot) has missed the last two games, Jarvis Landry (ankle) missed last week’s contest and rookie Chris Olave suffered a concussion while making a touchdown catch against Seattle. All three missed practice Wednesday.
Despite the offense’s productivity last week, the Saints still turned the ball over twice. They have the worst turnover margin in the NFL (minus-eight).
“I would say in there was a black eye offensively it would be that we turned the ball over twice,” New Orleans coach Dennis Allen said. “We still did enough things to overcome those things and Alvin Kamara brought a lot of energy and a lot of explosiveness to the offensive unit this week.”
–Field Level Media
