Joe Burrow is already in game mode as the Bengals get set to welcome the Jacksonville Jaguars to Paycor Stadium on Sunday in a Week 4 AFC matchup that puts two 2-1 teams on the same field.
The NFL posted video of Burrow loosening up at the stadium, with the Cincinnati quarterback shown in warm-up gear as kickoff nears. It’s the kind of snapshot that fits the moment: two offenses that have been productive early, two teams with something real to prove, and a 1 p.m. ET kickoff on CBS that carries a little extra edge.
Cincinnati enters the game as a 2.5-point favorite, with the over/under listed at 51.5 points. The game will also stream on Paramount+ and NFL+.
Both teams won their first two games before taking different paths in Week 3. The Bengals dropped a 30-27 decision at the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the Jaguars cruised to a 35-6 home win over the New England Patriots.
Burrow’s numbers through three games have been sharp: 73 completions on 103 attempts for 743 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. That works out to a 106.6 passer rating and a 70.9 completion percentage. In the loss at Pittsburgh, he was 28 of 37 for 282 yards and three touchdowns without a pick, finding Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Mike Gesicki for scores.
Chase has been Burrow’s top scoring target so far, with 18 catches for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Higgins leads Cincinnati’s receivers with 244 yards. As a group, the Bengals are putting up 26.7 points per game, leaning on Burrow’s precision in the short and intermediate game while the run game has stayed efficient without producing many explosive plays.
Cincinnati’s defense has allowed 21.0 points per game, and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen leads the front with 2.0 sacks.
Jacksonville brings plenty of firepower of its own. Trevor Lawrence has completed 54 of 81 passes for 616 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
Against New England, he went 19 of 29 for 182 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, and he added four carries for 25 yards. The Jaguars are averaging 27.3 points per game.
The run game has helped balance things out. Bhayshul Tuten has 204 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 43 carries.
On the other side of the ball, Jacksonville has been the tougher defense so far, giving up just 12.0 points per game and using turnovers to keep opponents under control. Josh Hines-Allen leads that pass rush with 1.5 sacks.
A victory would push either team to 3-1 and give it a stronger early foothold in the AFC. For Cincinnati, it’s a chance to answer the Pittsburgh loss at home and see how Burrow’s passing attack holds up against a defense that has kept explosive plays in check. For Jacksonville, it’s about proving that last week’s blowout carries over on the road and that Lawrence can keep dealing against a Bengals secondary that has given up its share through the air.
The weather in Cincinnati is expected to be clear with light wind, so both quarterbacks should get clean conditions for what shapes up as a polished, early-season quarterback duel. Burrow’s accuracy and volume meet Lawrence’s touchdown production and Jacksonville’s run-game support, and that makes this one feel built for a fast start.
In Other News...
Ja'Marr Chase Update Carries Big Consequences After Jaguars Hit
The Jaguars left Cincinnati with a game that carried more than one ripple effect, and JaMarr Chase became one of the biggest after taking a concussion in the first half of Sundays meeting. Chase was ruled out for the rest of the game after catching three passes for 27 yards, a reminder of how quickly a matchup can turn when one of the leagues most dangerous receivers is forced to the sideline.
For Jacksonville, the immediate focus is on what comes next for the Bengals offense and whether Chase can get through concussion protocol in time for Week 5 against Miami. His availability matters not just because of his production, but because of how much the Bengals lean on him when the games start to tighten up. The next few days will determine whether that injury stays a one-game interruption or lingers into another important AFC matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Tee Higgins Injury Leaves Bengals Facing One Big Offensive Concern
Tee Higgins night ended early against the Jaguars after the Cincinnati wide receiver suffered an adductor injury late in the game and tried, unsuccessfully, to return. For a Bengals offense that leans heavily on its top pass catchers, any issue with Higgins is worth watching closely, especially when it comes on the heels of a physical matchup and leaves another layer of uncertainty in the passing game.
Cincinnati has not offered a recovery timeline, and the next step is further evaluation to determine just how long Higgins might be sidelined. For Jacksonville, the injury was one of the more notable late-game developments from a contest that already carried its share of contact and consequences, and it now puts the Bengals in wait-and-see mode with a key receiver whose availability can shape how that offense looks in the coming weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Got The Break They Needed As Burrow Meltdown Drew Heat
The Jaguars did not have to do much to feel the benefit of a Bengals collapse, but they were on the right side of it when Joe Burrows night unraveled late. Burrow threw two interceptions in the game against Jacksonville, including a costly red zone pick in the fourth quarter that kept Cincinnati from seizing the lead when it had the chance.
One takeaway for Jacksonville is that those kinds of breaks matter in a league where a single drive can change everything. Even with one interception wiped out by a roughing-the-passer penalty, the Bengals still left plenty of frustration behind, and the criticism that followed only added to the sense that the Jaguars escaped a game in which Burrow and Cincinnati handed them an opening. [Read more 🡒]