'First class in every way.' Bengals win on and off the field in Spain

MADRID, Spain – The Cincinnati Bengals will leave Madrid with wins on and off the field after an impressive five-day trip that showcased how a team can unite its fans all around the world. Not only are the Bengals now 6-2 after beating the Atlanta Falcons 34-17, but the locker room comradery is also stronger and the fans are galvanized. “I think it was a huge bonding experience for us,” Joe Burrow said on Nov. 8. “To see the excitement of the city with us being here I think was a little surprising for me and a pleasant surprise, at that. Hopefully we can come back next year and do some more exciting things for everybody.” Bengals fans outnumbered Falcons fans at Bernabeu Stadium by a lot despite it being a home game for Atlanta. There was a sea of fans donning orange and black walking around the streets of Madrid days before, and certainly on gameday. “I thought it was an unbelievable turnout by our fans here in Spain,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. “I saw them in the streets. I saw them in the hotel. I felt them in the stadium. I think we got the best fan base there is, and so for them to come out here and be rewarded with the victory I thought was big-time.” Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Burrow rewarded their fans attending the game with an entertaining game. Chase and Higgins combined for 15 catches, 187 yards and three touchdowns. On a big stage under the bright lights, Burrow continued to prove he’s worthy of being in the Most Valuable Player conversation. Burrow completed 24 of 29 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns in the win. “I loved playing in this stadium,” Burrow said. “It’s a great atmosphere. I loved putting on a show for the people of Spain, and I was happy to be here.” To go out and perform the way Cincinnati did after an eight-hour flight, a time change and a week of getting acclimated to new surroundings, a plan must be put into place. The Bengals executed their travel plans flawlessly. Cincinnati’s director of operations, Jeff Brickner, spearheaded the plan months in advance. The logistics behind coordinating a trip of this magnitude aren’t easy and a lot has changed since the Bengals last traveled internationally in 2019. Brickner worked closely with team ownership, the training and video staff among others. “I just think our whole support staff did an excellent job,” Taylor said.  “Just proud to be part of the organization that handled this trip the right way.” The Bengals will travel back to Cincinnati pleased with the win and their record. Offensively, the Bengals are one of the best units in football. Defensively, they’ve got some work to do. In the last three weeks, the Bengals’ defense has shown vulnerability at the second level and in their secondary. For Cincinnati to make a legit Super Bowl run, they’ve got to figure out how to not come out flat. The Bengals’ defense has allowed 36 points total (13 vs. Baltimore, 13 vs. Tennessee 10 vs. Atlanta) in the first half of the last three games. It’s a dangerous way to play football, but the Bengals were able to get around it against Atlanta because of how explosive they were on offense from the start of the game. With the trade deadline looming on Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. ET, noise around the Bengals will continue to get louder. Will the franchise be willing to acquire a defensive player before the deadline in hopes of making a Super Bowl run? Only time will tell.