Bengals QB Joe Burrow on Rough Joint Practice in Chicago: Bad Weather, Bad Results, Good Work

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The only thing dry this afternoon at Halas Hall was Joe Burrow’s wit.

After getting drenched for the better part of two hours and throwing three interceptions in a joint practice against the Chicago Bears, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback was asked about the performance.

“We ran the ball well,” he said.

That’s where the list of superlative stopped.

‘I’m Happy With Where I’m At’ – Bengals QB Joe Burrow Encouraged By Progress

Burrow’s receivers were dropping balls right and left, one of which led to his first interception, and players were struggling to stay on their feet.

Tee Higgins had four drops and, at one point, eschewed his usual catching technique of grabbing the ball out in front of him to instead let it get into his chest, where he could smother it.

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“It’s tough to throw in the rain like that,” Burrow said, speaking from instant experience as well as the game 11 months ago when the Bengals fell 24-3 at Cleveland in a steady rain.

“The ball is slick. It’s tough to hold and tough to throw the ball outside the numbers and down the field,” Burrow added. “But it was good to get that work.”

Burrow sat out last year’s joint practice against the Green Bay Packers at Paycor Stadium as he still was dealing with the calf injury that cost him most of camp.

But Burrow has only missed one practice this camp while recovering from season-ending wrist surgery in November, and he said today’s work was important despite a dismal stat line.

“It’s nice to get some new faces across from you,” Burrow said. “It’s tough because you’re not game planning against them, so you don’t watch tape, or you’re not going out to beat their coverage. You have your plays. They have theirs. So that’s always a challenge. But it was good work overall.”

Burrow was 15 of 32, although nearly half of his incompletions were dropped, one of which resulted in an interception.

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Another of his interceptions was returned for what would have been a touchdown.

But Burrow also threw a pair of touchdown passes to Trenton Irwin in a red-zone drill.

It’s raining, it’s pouring, @trenton_4 is scoring 😁 pic.twitter.com/UumuLiO1g9

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals)

The joint practice was one of Burrow’s final competitive tune-ups against an opponent. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said the team’s starters won’t play Saturday against the Bears.

And it would be a big surprise if Burrow plays next Thursday against the Colts, especially given the status of the team’s offensive line.

But the Bengals will have another joint practice next week against Indianapolis, and Burrow said he’s encouraged by how he’s progressing and performing.