The Cincinnati Bengals are shipping out for Madrid, Spain, this week, tweaking their routine big time for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Instead of their usual international game prep, the team jetted off Tuesday after practicing in Cincinnati, giving them extra time to get acclimated and stay fresh for the Falcons.
Madrid Bound, But The Focus Is All Business
Coach Zac Taylor learned a lot from their 2019 London game against the Los Angeles Rams, and he’s not messing around with this Madrid trip. They’ll take Wednesday off, then hit the Spanish National Team Training Facility for practice on Thursday and Friday. Taylor said going two days earlier than their London trip is all about getting the players ready as fast as possible. You gotta love a coach who adapts.
“The week shapes up different. It speeds up the coaches a bit so that the comfort of being here in our office is different than on the road. As much as you can get done here before you get on the plane, you’d prefer to do that. Clean things up as you go,” Taylor explained. “You treat it like a six-day week.” Even though they’re headed to Europe, the priority is keeping that momentum rolling after three straight wins. Taylor even mentioned expanding “Who Dey Nation” and recruiting new fans, but quickly brought it back to what really matters. “But at the end of the day, we’re there to win. We’re there to get our fourth win in a row. We’re there to get to 6-2. We’re there to beat the Falcons. That’s priority No. 1 and then the other stuff, I think our guys will be mature enough to handle all that stuff in between.”
Rallying Wins, But Early Game Woes Are Real
Cincinnati’s sitting pretty at 5-2, their best start since 2021, and they just pulled off an insane 43-36 overtime victory against the Tennessee Titans. That’s three wins in a row, baby! But here’s the kicker: they’ve had to claw their way back from 13-point, first-half deficits in their last two games. That’s a wild stat, making them the first team since the 2020 New Orleans squad to pull that off, and only the third time in Bengals history (1981, 2001). Talk about living dangerously!
Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is locked in, too. He stressed that while there might be time for some sightseeing, the real goal is getting to 6-2 and tying Pittsburgh atop the AFC North. “Just knowing that we’re there for business and to prepare like that and start fast, which we haven’t done. This is another opportunity for us to start fast,” he said. You hear that? Starting fast. It’s a clear message.
Burrow’s Brilliance Can’t Hide Defensive Blips
Speaking of living dangerously, Joe Burrow is absolutely balling out right now. He’s only the fourth quarterback in league history to throw at least four touchdown passes and hit a passer rating of at least 115 in three consecutive games. The other names on that list? Peyton Manning (2004 with Indianapolis), Matthew Stafford (2025 with the Los Angeles Rams), and none other than our own Russell Wilson (2020 with Seattle). That’s elite company, and Burrow is showing why he’s one of the best.
But here’s the flip side: that defense needs a serious gut check. They’ve allowed touchdowns on the first possession in three straight games, and opponents have scored on their initial drive in five of their seven games this season. You can’t keep giving up easy scores to start games and expect Burrow to bail you out every single time, no matter how good he is.
The Bengals are in Madrid to win, to hit that 6-2 mark, and to beat the Falcons. Then, it’s a pivotal rematch with Pittsburgh on November 15. That AFC North race is heating up, and Cincinnati needs to fix those early-game defensive struggles if they want to stay on top. Let’s see if this Madrid trip sparks that much-needed quick start.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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