AFC Notes: Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, Bengals, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase said he wished the team would’ve sat QB Joe Burrow for a few weeks of the season to make sure he came back fully healthy.

“I wish we would have did that [from the] jump,” Chase said, via ESPN. “But live and learn.”

Bengals HC Zac Taylor said the team’s doctors will determine whether or not Burrow needs a week or two to rest.

“First of all we have to hear what the doctors have to say before we start to assume anything,” Taylor said. “Once we get that information, we have those [conversations], figure out what we’re going to do.”

Taylor added that the team’s success lies squarely upon staying healthy.

“Like I said at the beginning of the season, health is the biggest thing for our quarterback and for the team, period,” Chase said. “Stay healthy. We are playing a long season. It’s what this whole thing was about for us.”

• Taylor on QB Joe Burrow‘s availability for Monday Night Football against the Rams: “Hard to say.” (Ben Baby)

Browns

Browns QB Deshaun Watson spoke about his poor performance on Monday night and knows that there is a long way to go after the team lost RB Nick Chubb for the remainder of the season due to a severe knee injury.

“Still coming along,” Watson said when asked about the offense and his performance, via NFL.com. “I feel like, tonight, it was s—– as far as that. There are some plays that we capitalized and we did good, but as far as my part, it’s not good enough. I put that on me. The first play, yeah, we can get into the tactics of receiver running out and putting the ball out, and this, that, and the third, but I got to give him a better ball. The forced fumble for a touchdown for them. We can say, ‘This guy can do this,’ but I’ve got to protect the ball. We’re not going to put it on anyone else. You put it on me. I can take the full blame, I can take the criticism and I’m going to do that. I told everyone in our offense, the whole team, I’m gonna do better for this team, for this organization, so we can win games like that. I’m fine with taking the criticism, and I will be better.”

Steelers

Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth spoke about his experience at Tight End University, which was started by fellow tight ends Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Greg Olsen to help players at the position meet up with each other and improve.

“I was pumped to go,” Freiermuth said, via Mark Kaboly of The Athletic. “It was great to learn from a bunch of your peers at the top of their game and trying to implement the things they do. I got a lot out of it, and hopefully, I can apply it to the field. You get to pick the brain of some of the best.”

“(A contract extension) is motivation, but I try not to think about it too much because it will consume you,” Freiermuth added. “I will worry about that when the time comes. Right now, it is about getting better. That was the biggest thing for me. I kind of knew, but hearing it from those guys makes all the difference. A bunch of linebackers came up to me (in camp) and told me they noticed a difference with routes. It is a simple concept, but effective.”

• Steelers LS Christian Kuntz and S Keanu Neal were both fined by the league for unnecessary roughness in Week 1. (Brooke Pryor)