Cincinnati Bengals legend Ken Anderson’s assessment of Cincinnati’s Week 3 loss to Pittsburgh isn’t without a touch of humor.
“Going to Pittsburgh is always a tough place to play, as I can attest to,” Anderson told The Sporting News.
Anderson, who is working with Heartflow to advocate for former athletes and cardiovascular health, was once pulled down by the facemask by Pittsburgh defensive end Keith Gary during a Monday Night Football matchup on Oct. 10, 1983. So, perhaps Anderson can put Cincinnati’s 30-27 loss to the Steelers in Week 3 in perspective.
Cincinnati is 2-1 heading into a Week 4 matchup against Jacksonville.
“The first two TD passes Aaron (Rodgers) had were easy throws,” Anderson said. “I don’t know if there were blown coverages or what the heck happened there. Special teams miscues – whether it’s roughing the punter or mishandling a punt kind of gave them a few points. In the grand scheme, there are a lot of positives to take away from the game.”
Ken Anderson talks Joe Burrow, Bengals
Anderson laughs at the notion that Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who is on a five-year, $275 million contract with the franchise, would want to play anywhere else. The Bengals have missed the playoffs each of the last three seasons, and Burrow has dealt with injuries.
Through three games, Burrow has 743 yards, six TDs and one interception with a 106.6 passer rating.
“A lot goes back to the Carson Palmer days when he kind of forced his way out,” Anderson said. “Joe is from Ohio, I think he likes it here in Cincinnati. I think he does carry a lot of weight in the organization, and it kind of nice to see – they kind of changed the way of doing things this offseason to give up the No. 10 pick in the draft to sign Dexter Lawerence is way out of character for the Bengals. They spent a lot of money on the defense.”
Anderson has been impressed with the additions of Lawrence, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and edge rusher Boye Mafe. Cincinnati has allowed 21 points per game through three weeks, which is better than a unit that ranked 30th in the NFL at 28.9 ppg. last season. Anderson also believes the running game, which ranks 27th at 91.3 yards per game, will pick up in the coming weeks.
Ultimately, Anderson believes Burrow can continue to lead that turnaround season in Cincinnati. He recognizes the loaded quarterback field in the AFC, which features Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson. Lawrence, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft the year after Burrow was drafted, is the next opponent.
“You mention a lot of great quarterbacks around the league, and I’ll take Joe every time,” Anderson said. “His preparation and focus is unmatched in what he does. He’s a great guy. He’s a great teammate and a great player. ”
Ken Anderson on Bengals’ Super Bowl hopes
Burrow led the Bengals to an appearance in Super Bowl 56 in 2021 and an AFC championship appearance the following year – but Cincinnati has missed the postseason each of the last three years. Burrow has missed 16 games because of injuries in that stretch.
Anderson knows that trend well. Cincinnati had three losing seasons from 1978-80.
“They were trying to write me off in ‘79,” Anderson said. “They drafted my replacement – but with the first-round pick (in 1980) all of a sudden we got a guy named Munoz. We had Max Montoya, and the offensive line got better and I had a miraculous recovery.
“I think we’ve seen that with Joe,” Anderson said. “The offensive line is playing much better this year. You go back to that Pittsburgh game, they did a great job in pass protection until that last play where there was a sack-fumble. Like I said, I think the skies are bright.”
Anthony Munoz anchored that offensive line, and Anderson won the NFL MVP Award in 1981. Cincinnati reached Super Bowl 16 – and that playoff path included home games against Buffalo and the “Freezer Bowl” in the AFC championship against San Diego. That could be the key to another Super Bowl run. Burrow has played just one playoff game at home.
Anderson still laughs about the “Freezer Bowl” against the Chargers, where the temperature was -59 degrees with the wind chill. The Bengals won 27-7.
“We had a little bit of an advantage there,” Anderson said. “When the Ohio River outside the stadium freezes, you know it’s pretty cold.”
Ken Anderson works with Heartflow
Anderson was struck with a daunting piece of information while attending an NFLPA meeting which inspired his work with Heartflow – a company that specialized in treating coronary artery disease.
“The thing that stuck out was one in three former players die of heart disease and I thought that was an eye-opening deal,” Anderson said. “I started with the program and got my non-invasive coronary CTA and discovered through AI technology – which is amazing – that they can get a 3-D look at your arteries and not only tell what kind of plaque you have but how much and where it’s located.”
Anderson said that led to the discovery of soft plaque around his heart, which can be controlled with medication. Anderson joined the Heartflow GameFilm registry – a program designed to analyze heart health with former professional athletes. Anderson said it’s not just for NFL players and urges all former athletes to take advantage of that technology.
“You don’t have any symptoms,” Anderson said. “It lingers until something drastic happens. To stay ahead of the game was worthwhile.”
