Bengals QB Joe Burrow Declares Game with Raiders a Must-Win

Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow is reminding the Bengals they’d better not flop before Sunday’s matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.

“[The urgency is] as high as it can be,” Burrow told the media Wednesday. “This is a must-win game. We’re 3-5. You go to 3-6, you basically have to win out.”

In Week 8, the Philadelphia Eagles snapped the Bengals’ two-game win streak, beating them 37-17. Despite the disappointing home loss, Burrow said Cincinnati is still in the playoff hunt, and winning seven of its next nine games is “doable.”

A late-season surge doesn’t seem impossible for Cincinnati. According to Tankathon, the Bengals have the 18th-toughest remaining schedule in the league.

Cincinnati’s home game with Vegas could be one of its easiest. The Raiders (2-6) have lost four straight and have issues on both sides of the ball. Vegas ranks 26th in the league in points scored (18 PPG) and 27th in points allowed (26.3).

As of Wednesday, ESPN Bet lists the Bengals as a seven-point favorite. Cincinnati still shouldn’t take the Raiders lightly.

A loss to Vegas would further deplete the Bengals’ slim postseason odds. The Athletic’s playoff projections give them a 37 percent chance to make the postseason, 15th in the NFL.

“I’m not sure [the urgency] has changed the prep,” Burrow said. “We’re going to prep like that every week, no matter what, but it changes how you feel throughout the week. Your energy levels are raised a bit. It’s just a mindset.”

A late-season surge doesn’t seem impossible for Cincinnati. According to Tankathon, the Bengals have the 18th-toughest remaining schedule in the league.

Cincinnati’s home game with Vegas could be one of its easiest. The Raiders (2-6) have lost four straight and have issues on both sides of the ball. Vegas ranks 26th in the league in points scored (18 PPG) and 27th in points allowed (26.3).

As of Wednesday, ESPN Bet lists the Bengals as a seven-point favorite. Cincinnati still shouldn’t take the Raiders lightly.

A loss to Vegas would further deplete the Bengals’ slim postseason odds. The Athletic’s playoff projections give them a 37 percent chance to make the postseason, 15th in the NFL.

“I’m not sure [the urgency] has changed the prep,” Burrow said. “We’re going to prep like that every week, no matter what, but it changes how you feel throughout the week. Your energy levels are raised a bit. It’s just a mindset.”