Texans defense prepared for cerebral side of Bengals QB Joe Burrow

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence gave the Houston Texans problems, but Joe Burrow has his own ways of challenging opposing defenses for four quarters.

Burrow’s unique play-calling went viral on social media this past week when he used unique calls such as, “Grizzle left tight F-fly pass 37 punch waggle help baby dizzy x fan on the turbo.”

Texans rookie defensive end Will Anderson broke down for the Texans Wire how competing with Burrow involves a cerebral component.

“He is really good at dummy counts and seeing what type of coverage you are in,” Anderson said. “He will stop the whole play, look at the adjustments, and then dummy count again to see if you are going to show a different coverage. Then he will call another play and hit a hard count to make you reveal your true coverage. He is really good at unwrapping disguises that defenses are trying to do. It is going to be a great challenge for us, and I am looking forward to it.”

“You obviously want to get as much pressure on him as possible,” said Texans defensive lineman about Burrow. “When you rush four, those guys have to get home. If not, and you allow him to stand back there and pick apart a defense, it could be a long day.” #Texans #Sarge pic.twitter.com/gNUNZoBoaL

— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) November 12, 2023

After an abysmal 1-3 start on the season, mainly due to a calf injury Burrow suffered during training camp, the team has bounced back to win four straight games, including victories over the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, where the former Heisman Trophy winner threw for a combined 631 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. With his mobility back at total capacity, the Texans will try to limit his mobility in the pocket by shutting down escape lanes for him to extend plays.

“You obviously want to get as much pressure on him as possible,” said Texans defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins. “When you rush four, those guys have got to get home. If not, and you allow him to stand back there and pick apart a defense, it could be a long day. It definitely presents a challenge; luckily, we feel like we have the guys up front to be able to disrupt everything and allow our guys on the backend to cover and handle the playmakers.”