Burrow Expects to Play Despite Back Tightness

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is dealing with back tightness following the team's Week 1 victory but has firmly stated he expects to play in Sunday's game against the Houston Texans. Burrow was limited during Wednesday's practice and told reporters he did not know if he would practice for the rest of the week. However, he expressed confidence that he could prepare sufficiently through mental repetitions. "I feel good," Burrow said. "Just normal gameday soreness, that's for sure, but I will be all right." The injury occurred during the Bengals' 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though Burrow said he did not start feeling it until after the game. He took a hard hit to his throwing shoulder in the first half but finished without noticeable issues. When asked about the possibility of sitting out as a precaution, Burrow called it "ridiculous." Burrow completed 25 of 35 passes for 254 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Buccaneers. His performance was solid, but the Bengals' offense struggled to involve star receiver JaMarr Chase, who caught just two passes for 12 yards. Head coach Zac Taylor acknowledged the need to improve Chase's usage.