With Sunday morning fighting to get to 32 degrees, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow looked to rack up his third win in freezing weather when the Browns came into Paycor Stadium.
Forecasts have the temperature at a sunny 32 degrees at kickoff. That would mark Burrow's fourth start at the freezing mark or colder. His only loss came three weeks ago here in 32 degrees to the Steelers. He's got a 21-degree win over the Patriots in Foxborough on Christmas Eve 2022, and a 27-degree win in Pittsburgh earlier that season.
Burrow had been concerned before the last Steelers game back on Dec. 1 because it was his first cold-weather game since his wrist surgery. But three more touchdown passes and another 300-yard game (309) on 74% passing answered that.
It's the only other game he's lost in less than 40 degrees other than the 2022 AFC title game in Kansas City, making Burrow 8-2 when it's in the 20s or 30s.
REMEMBER DECEMBER
Despite that loss to the Steelers, Burrow still loves December. He's got 28 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 72% passing, and a 108.0 passer rating to go with an 8-3 record. At 18-4 with 46 touchdown passes and seven interceptions for a 110.7 rating in his December career, Baltimore's Lamar Jackson is a formidable foe as they duel for the NFL touchdown passes title.
Jackson's three touchdown passes in Saturday night's win over the Steelers gave him the lead over Burrow by 37-36. Coming into today's slate of games, Burrow's lead over Jackson in the passing yards race is 190.
JINGLE BELL JA'MARR
Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who made Hard Knocks news last week with his stint in the below-zero cold chamber, had his biggest day at Paycor in 33 degrees. On Jan. 2, 2022 in a win over the Chiefs at Paycor, he had a career-high 266 yards.
Chase came into this season with five December touchdown catches and already has three in his bid to win the NFL Triple Crown for receivers. He came into Sunday with a 170-yard lead on the Vikings' Justin Jefferson, a seven-catch lead over the Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown, and a four-touchdown edge on the Commanders' Terry McLaurin.
SLANTS AND SCREENS
Bengals safety Geno Stone is coming in with two interceptions in his last two games, the last one a 39-yard pick-six. For Stone, the AFC defending interceptions champ, it was his third of the season, 11th of his career as one of the most prolific in the 2020 draft, and caught the attention of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
"Some of that just is in the right place at the right time," Anarumo said. "The one he ran back, he held it just the right amount of time and then just the timing of it was ideal. The quarterback never saw him coming out of the middle of the field. I think it's just the timing and sometimes those plays, you go a while without getting them and then sometimes they just come in bunches and that's what happens." …
The Bengals hosted Browns starting quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the lead up to the 2023 draft, where he went in the fifth round to Cleveland. Cincy is quite happy with their fifth-rounder that year. While Thompson-Robinson tries to get his bearings in his fourth NFL start and first this season, running back Chase Brown eyes his fifth straight 100-yard game from scrimmage …
Houston's Danielle Hunter didn't have a sack in Saturday's loss to the Chiefs, keeping him half a sack behind the Bengals' Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson holds the NFL lead with the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in the building. Browns edger Myles Garrett comes in with
No surprises on Sunday's inactive list, so right guard Alex Cappa returns to the starting lineup after missing the last four snaps of last week's game in Tennessee with a concussion …
With tight end Tanner Hudson (knee) out, rookie tight end Tanner McLachlan is active for the first time this season …
Head coach Zac Taylor stuck with his game-winning game captains from the previous two games with Burrow, Chase, and wide receiver Tee Higgins ...
Left end Sam Hubbard (knee), left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., (fibula), defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (illness) and wide receiver Charlie Jones (groin) were also out …
Logan Woodside is the third quarterback …
