Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) shakes hands after the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 1 game between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. The Bengals begin the season with a 17-16 win over the Browns. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Injuries and rust are valid excuses to explain away Joe Burrow’s early-season struggles during his tenure as Cincinnati Bengals quarterback. However, he actually made it through training camp healthy this year, only to see his offense sputter again in Week 1.
Although the Bengals beat the Cleveland Browns 17-16 for their first season-opening victory since 2021, Burrow and the offense looked awful in the second half in particular. Jordan Battle’s interception was the only reason Evan McPherson got in position for what wound up being the winning field goal.
Burrow led the NFL in touchdown passes and throwing yards in 2024, though, so it stands to reason he won’t take long to round back into elite form. And that brings us to a bold prediction for Week 2…
NFL Spin Zone projects Joe Burrow to have career day in Week 2
FanSided’s Lou Scataglia wrote an article that touches on one bold prediction for all 32 teams in Week 2. Bengals fans have to be hoping his forecast for Joe Burrow comes to pass, QB pun intended:
“I actually feel sorry for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Joe Burrow is going to play like a man possessed and toss five touchdown passes against a below-average secondary in a massive Bengals’ win.”
Burrow hadn’t thrown five TDs in a single game until last season, when the defense’s poor performance necessitated MVP-caliber performances almost every week. The two five-TD outings Burrow put up came against the Raiders in a 41-24 win, and versus Baltimore in a 41-38 overtime defeat.
So when I say “career day”, I’ll take it a step further and suggest Burrow won’t throw an interception like he did in those other two prior monster days. The unknown element of two-way Jaguars stud Travis Hunter notwithstanding, I don’t think Jacksonville has anyone in its secondary who can mess with the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Cincinnati’s loaded cast of weapons.
Since Hunter is primarily playing as a wide receiver now, I’m thinking the Jags will deploy Tyson Campbell, Jarrian Jones, and Jourdan Lewis against Chase, Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Mike Gesicki, Noah Fant, and anyone else the Bengals want to trot out there. Does that sound like a recipe for success for Jacksonville? Not to me!
Unless the Jags’ pass rush led by Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker can really wreak havoc, Burrow should fulfill Lou Scataglia’s prophecy or thereabouts and lead the Bengals to a 2-0 start with one of his best games.
