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Ben Baby, ESPN Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — In Joe Burrow‘s mind, the margin for error ahead of Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens might as well be nonexistent.
As the Cincinnati Bengals prepare for their first AFC North showdown of the season, the team’s star quarterback set the bar as high as possible for him and his teammates.
“I’m gonna have to play damn near perfect,” Burrow said. “That’s how I’m preparing. So it’s an exciting opportunity.”
Cincinnati’s fifth-year quarterback was especially intense throughout his midweek news conference. When asked why, he pointed to the significance of this week’s matchup.
Baltimore (2-2) ended Cincinnati’s two-year run as the division champion and reached the AFC Championship Game last season, the same round the Bengals experienced in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
But Cincinnati hasn’t displayed championship form in the first four weeks of the season. The Bengals lost their first three games, marking the team’s worst start since 2019. The defense ranks near the bottom of the league in points per drive (27th) and success rate (tied for 29th).
While Baltimore also sputtered early, the Ravens have now won two straight games, including a convincing 35-10 victory over the previously undefeated Buffalo Bills.
“It’s a big game,” Burrow said. “We know what our record is, we know the opportunities we have going forward, but it’s our first divisional opponent.”
Life in the AFC North was not pleasant for the Bengals last season. Cincinnati went 1-5 in divisional play, the lone win coming in Week 18 against Cleveland. By then, the Bengals were already eliminated from postseason contention and the Browns were resting key players for the playoffs.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor, now in his sixth season with the club, acknowledged that the totality of a grueling divisional schedule dawned on him as he gained more on-the-job experience and also heard from others around the league about their experiences against AFC North foes.
“You’ve seen in the past other divisions come play this division, see that and then walk away from it, and that’s something they feel,” Taylor said. “Our players are battle-tested and have been through this before, so they know how physical and intense these games will be.”
That was felt on Wednesday in the way Burrow not only answered questions from reporters but also repeatedly referenced perfection. And in defining what that looks like for him, the 2022 Pro Bowler said that it’s not always about having a high completion percentage or throwing five touchdowns.
“It’s putting yourself and your team in the best position play-in and play-out to have the best possible result on that play,” Burrow said. “Sometimes that’s a 0-yard gain, and sometimes that’s a sack.”
In order for this team to be championship contenders once again, Burrow said that mindset is one the locker room must share.
Earlier in the day, Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said that despite Cincinnati’s rough start to the season, there is still confidence that if the Bengals play as well as they can, they can beat Baltimore, a current 2.5-point favorite, according to ESPN BET.
When asked about that confidence, Burrow pointed to an offense that is currently third in the NFL in points per drive and sixth in offensive EPA per play, per ESPN Research.
“We’re gonna continue to chase perfection, try to score on every drive,” Burrow said. “It’s a big opportunity. We thrive in these moments.”