Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals really need a win as they try to avoid starting the season with three losses in a row.
They will be facing former Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and the energized Carolina Panthers.
The Bengals are looking for a change after losing 38-33 at home to the Washington Commanders on Monday night. Out of the 155 teams that have started 0-4 since the merger, only the 1992 Chargers managed to make the playoffs after such a start.
Dalton, who played nine seasons with the Bengals before leaving after the 2019 season, understands that being desperate can make Cincinnati a dangerous opponent in Sunday’s game at Bank of America Stadium.
“It’s a great team and their record doesn’t show exactly who they are,” Dalton said. “Everybody knows what type of players they have over there and the success they’ve had. So you can’t take them lightly. They are still scoring a lot of points.”
This isn’t the first time the Bengals have had a tough start under coach Zac Taylor.
Last season, Cincinnati began with a 1-3 record but managed to get back into playoff contention before struggling and finishing 9-8, missing the playoffs.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve gone through adversity in the six years I’ve been here,” Taylor said. “So we know how to get ourselves out of it, whether it’s the beginning of the season, the middle of the season, the end of the season. Really it’s all the same. You’re just looking for that first win to get some momentum.”
The Panthers (1-2) appeared to be in trouble early in the season after being outscored 73-13 in their first two games with second-year quarterback Bryce Young leading the team.
