CLUTCH CALL
Burrow’s attention to detail set up crucial throw vs. Vikings
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow fooled the Vikings with his game-winning call on Sunday, and the play was a result of corrections made in practice the week before. It was Burrow’s first game back after tearing his ACL in Week 11 last season.
The Cincinnati Bengals had run the same play countless times in practice, but quarterback Joe Burrow had never finished it with a throw to tight end C.J. Uzomah until this week.
While the Bengals prepared for their matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, they worked on one of its go-to plays. Burrow has the option to hand the ball off, make a play-action pass to a running back or hold onto the ball and throw to one of two tight ends leaking down the field.
On Sunday, in a 27-24 win, Burrow found Uzomah on a 32-yard pass when the Bengals ran the play in overtime. Uzomah’s reception on 4th-and-1 brought the Bengals into range for kicker Evan Mcpherson’s game-winning field goal.
It happened only because of how well Burrow read the defense and because he spoke up on the practice
field.
“When the game is on the line and I have the ball in my hands, I think I’m prepared to put myself in those positions,” Burrow said. “I’m always ready for them.”
The Bengals ran the play twice last season, including a goal-line pass on 4th-and-1 to running back Giovani Bernard against the Cleveland Browns. In the first game against the Browns last season, Burrow connected with tight end Drew Sample on that play.
But before last week, despite all the times Burrow had practiced the play, he never found Uzomah. When the Bengals practiced it and Burrow was looking for a tight end, he didn’t see Sample. So Burrow threw the ball to Uzomah.