Joe Burrow on Bengals' Win Over Bills
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00:00 A theme during this winning streak has been starting fast.
00:02 You guys started fast again tonight.
00:04 How important is that for you guys?
00:07 Yeah, it's critical for us.
00:08 You know, it allows our defensive line
00:10 to really pin their ears back in the pass game.
00:14 And, you know, when we jump out on teams,
00:16 we always feel good about our chances.
00:19 Is there something you personally do
00:22 to start as fast as you have?
00:24 You're 17 of 19.
00:26 The past two games coming into tonight,
00:27 tonight you started 11 of 14.
00:29 Yeah, you know, Zach and our coaches
00:32 come up with great script early on
00:34 to really tackle what we're trying to see.
00:38 And we just always feel good coming into the game,
00:41 so we just got to keep that going.
00:42 You guys hadn't gotten a ton of productivity
00:44 from tight ends over the first seven games.
00:46 What did it mean for those guys to do what they did tonight?
00:48 Yeah, those guys were awesome today.
00:51 They really stepped up.
00:52 Tanner, Irv, Mitch, Drew, they all made big plays for us,
00:55 so we're going to need more of it.
00:57 What were you dealing with, Joe, on your finger?
01:01 Oh, it was just a little cut, nothing bad.
01:03 Joe, Zach always talks about how November football
01:06 is different for you guys.
01:08 Just a couple weeks into November,
01:10 how do you feel about the way you guys are going offensively?
01:14 Yeah, we're coming along.
01:15 You know, we've played well the last couple weeks.
01:16 We just got to keep it going.
01:17 We're going to keep getting better every day in practice,
01:20 keep talking through routes, keep talking through
01:23 what we're trying to accomplish and go from there.
01:26 It wasn't one you showed a lot of confidence in Tanner.
01:29 What was your thought process on that?
01:32 Remind me what play that was?
01:33 I think it was the fourth one.
01:35 What part of it?
01:37 To what hit, what block?
01:40 Yeah, I can't quite recall that play,
01:43 but Tanner I have a lot of faith in.
01:45 He makes plays on the scout team every week,
01:48 and so when he was up, I felt really confident
01:50 about his ability to get open and make plays for us.
01:53 Joe, as much as you guys take pride in starting fast,
01:55 the last several games,
01:57 closing out games is probably more important.
02:00 What does it say about this offense
02:01 that you can execute under those six wins?
02:04 Yeah, last two weeks we were able to put together drives
02:07 to close out games.
02:08 That's what we need out of our offense.
02:10 What happened on the big day?
02:12 Do you know when you got kind of hurt?
02:13 No, you don't really know what happens.
02:14 It just started bleeding.
02:16 Does it have any effect on you?
02:17 No, no.
02:19 The last finishing drive, were you expecting them to push up
02:22 and try to throw over the top?
02:23 Was that kind of something in the moment when you looked at it
02:24 and said, "Let's go"?
02:26 Well, in those situations,
02:27 they got to be more aggressive because if we run the ball well,
02:31 we could just run the clock out.
02:32 So I expected a little man.
02:34 TB made a great play for us, ran a great route.
02:37 We were able to connect on it.
02:39 What about the pass shoot through to T on that bullet?
02:43 I think it was set off the field goal.
02:46 Can you go through that play, what you saw there?
02:48 It seemed like quite a...
02:50 Yeah, I think you're talking about the slant in the red zone.
02:53 Yeah, T, you know, I told T coming into the game,
02:57 he was feeling good, so I was going to feed him the ball today.
03:01 And he came out big for us, stepped up big for us.
03:04 He's going to continue to do that.
03:05 He always does.
03:06 I have a lot of faith in that guy.
03:07 Specific to this game,
03:09 what did you feel like you guys did well enough on offense
03:12 in terms of what your game plan was
03:14 against this Buffalo defense
03:15 that led you guys to be able to win tonight?
03:18 Yeah, we made plays.
03:20 You know, they do a good job on defense, disguising coverages,
03:22 giving us different looks,
03:24 bringing pressures and disguising those.
03:26 So, you know, you have to be ready to adjust
03:27 and adapt on the fly.
03:29 I mean, I thought we did that really well today.
03:30 Joe, what does it say about this T back here
03:33 to run off four straight?
03:34 I know you've done it before last year,
03:36 certainly in the year before,
03:37 but to rebound from the start you guys had
03:40 and to get hot again, what does it say about this T?
03:43 Yeah, we were one and 0 this week.
03:44 That's all that matters.
03:45 We got to be one and 0 next week, too.
03:46 So, we're just taking it a day at a time.
03:48 We'll come in and watch the tape tomorrow,
03:51 go through our routine, and we'll go from there.
03:53 As a matter of fact, response,
03:55 just kind of the mentality about long way to go,
03:57 there's no way we're going to make too much of this.
03:59 Yeah, this was only game eight.
04:00 We still got nine games left.
04:02 So, we're five and three right now.
04:05 We're in a great spot.
04:06 We just got to continue to get better.
04:07 What's the most encouraging thing you've seen
04:09 as a team over the last couple of weeks,
04:11 given the quality and the quality you have
04:12 and the stuff you're doing on the floor?
04:13 Yeah, we're really happy
04:15 with how we played the last couple weeks.
04:16 We got to keep it going.
04:19 You know, we were one and 0 this week.
04:20 We got to be one and 0 next week, too.
04:21 This week means nothing.
04:23 We'll come in tomorrow, watch the tape, lift,
04:26 go about our business, and we'll go from there.
04:28 You mentioned that T said he was feeling good.
04:30 Did you know before the game that this was going to be a game
04:32 where you were going to be actively looking for him
04:34 more than maybe other players?
04:36 You know, not specifically, but I knew that, you know,
04:38 I liked the matchup with him today in one-on-one situations,
04:42 and we were able to get some.
04:44 When they were playing Mann,
04:45 they were shading the safety over to Jamar,
04:46 and so, you know, T had to step up, and he did.
04:48 What's it like as a quarterback to see Zach be aggressive
04:50 on fourth downs and in certain situations
04:52 as you all are in a game like this?
04:54 Yeah, you know, I always have faith in our ability
04:57 to get the job done in those situations.
04:59 We did and we didn't in certain situations,
05:01 so we got some improvement to do there.
05:04 Zach, just once tonight,
05:05 what did you think about the offense going?
05:07 Yeah, they played really well.
05:08 You know, we'll watch the tape and go from there,
05:10 but I thought I had time to do what I needed to do today.
05:14 How much input do you have, if any,
05:16 in winning the tops, taking the ball first versus deferring?
05:20 None, none.
05:22 You know, I always prefer to take the ball,
05:24 I guess depending on the opponent, how they play,
05:26 but, you know, I was feeling good about that today.
05:28 Do you see that as a message to take it first
05:31 in this game particularly?
05:32 Maybe. It's tough to say.
05:35 How well do you think Cam Taylor-Britt
05:36 is playing at the quarterback's level right now?
05:38 Yeah, he continues to make plays for us.
05:41 You know, on offense, you don't really -
05:43 you know, you don't watch their tape
05:44 and you don't see every play,
05:46 but you see the big plays that he's always making
05:48 and the tackles that he makes
05:49 and the passion that he plays with.
05:51 So, he's a great guy to have on our team,
05:53 great locker room guy, great guy to build the culture
05:56 we're trying to build.
05:57 After Joe Mixon's touchdown, he pointed over at Zach.
06:00 It looked like you were happy about the play call.
06:03 Is that what I was reading into there?
06:04 Is that accurate? Yeah, it was a great call.
06:07 You know, it was third and three from the three,
06:11 something like that, where, you know,
06:13 usually we pass the ball in those situations,
06:15 so I don't think they were quite expecting a run.
06:17 I thought it was a great call.
06:19 Do you think they were expecting a run on the last one
06:21 that picked up the first down,
06:23 or the one that basically seemed to be?
06:24 Yeah, for sure.
06:26 I mean, that was well-blocked, well-executed.
06:28 Joe made a big play.
06:30 I know you played the Bills in the playoffs
06:31 since Monday Night Football last year,
06:34 but this being the first time tomorrow,
06:35 and, like, back in Cincinnati,
06:36 what were you feeling seeing him on the other side
06:38 of the road game?
06:39 Yeah, it's - no, it's always nice to see his face
06:42 when you go through something like that
06:44 and you see that up close.
06:45 You know, I'm happy that he's feeling better,
06:49 happy that he's back on the field,
06:51 but I think everybody wants to put that behind us
06:54 and move on.
06:55 Joe, you handed a ball to a young fan
06:57 walking off the field.
06:59 Was there anything behind that or just kind of spur of the moment?
07:01 No, I don't need any more of those balls,
07:02 so I thought I'd make somebody's day.