CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow spoke during a press conference on Wednesday to discuss the Bengals' Week 2 matchup against the Houston Texans.
The Bengals will head to Houston with a 1-0 record while the Texans aim to bounce back from their five-point loss to the Buffalo Bills.
"We're just taking it one week at a time. We're excited about the opportunity this week — a really good team; was in the playoffs last year, won a playoff game, great defense," Burrow said.
He mentioned feeling some post-game soreness, specifically "back tightness." Burrow clarified that he didn't know which specific play caused the discomfort.
WATCH: Burrow reports 'back tightness' after Week 1 game
When asked if his back tightness made him concerned about being able to play this Sunday, the star quarterback responded confidently: "No."
Burrow went on to comment on Ja'Marr Chase being limited to just 12 yards on two receptions in the Bengals' season opener.
"It's less of a balance and more of a we got to get him involved. I think that sentiment was echoed from a lot of different fronts after the game, and can't come out of a game like that and have Ja'Marr Chase touch the ball two times," Burrow said.
The star quarterback emphasized that Chase cares most about the team winning. Burrow added that Chase would have been more concerned about his role against the Buccaneers if the Bengals had lost.
Earlier in the day, Head Coach Zac Taylor spoke on Houston's high-powered defense, saying the players they have on that side of the ball are fast, physical and well coached.
WATCH: Caleb Noe breaks down the Bengals' Week 1 win over Tampa Bay
"Certainly got our work cut out for us, they have elite talent across the board," Taylor said.
Taylor also gave praise to Texans QB CJ Stroud, saying he plays with "a lot of poise."
"He's a really challenging quarterback, we saw it here on our field a couple years ago, it was a great game that he played. I thought he played really well last week, and so again, its a big challenge for our guys," Taylor said.
WATCH: Bengals fans roar as Dexter Lawrence takes the field at Paycor Stadium
Taylor, Bengals know there is still plenty of room for improvement despite 1-0 start
Taylor was still pleased on Monday after Cincinnati’s 33-27 victory over Tampa Bay.
Yet for as well as the Bengals played in the opener, the eighth-year coach previously pointed out there was still plenty of room for improvement.
Bengals
Bengals force 4 turnovers, Burrow throws for TD in 33-27 win over the Buccaneers
“The objective isn’t to be your best team Week 1, it’s to be your best team at the end of the season. So I just want to see that process continue to improve for us as we get ready for Houston,” he said.
Taylor and the Bengals are also aware that fast starts aren’t always an indicator of success, and that things can come undone very quickly. Cincinnati won its first two games last season, but then dropped eight of nine when Burrow suffered a turf toe injury in Week 2.
The defense, which made four huge additions during the offseason, forced four turnovers, generated a 38.9% pressure rate and sacked the Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield four times despite having a blitz rate of 11.1%, tied for second lowest in Week 1.
“We didn’t go into the game thinking it’d be a low blitz rate. It’s the way it materialized,” defensive coordinator Al Golden said on Monday. “Our four-man rush was hitting. We moved that route. That was a good job by the staff to move that way. That’s encouraging if you can cover with seven, rush four and hit someone like him (Mayfield).”
Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, the Bengals’ biggest addition, didn’t have a tackle or a sack, but did open things up for others to sack Mayfield.
The one area Golden definitely wants to clean up is third down after Tampa Bay was 5 of 10.
“Everybody knows there is a lot of room to improve. First games are hard. We saw a lot of different looks yesterday we didn’t prepare the guys for. I think they handled it well,” Golden said.
Cincinnati’s defense doesn’t get a rest when it comes to facing challenging quarterbacks. It faces Stroud and Houston on the road this week, followed by Aaron Rodgers at Pittsburgh in Week 3 and hosting Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence in Week 4.
“We’ve got some tough challenges but they do too,” Dexter Lawrence said.
