🤔 Was Joe Burrow Right About Cincy Nightlife?

Despite the QB criticizing the social scene, locals are sure they’ll be partying wild-card weekend. [View in browser]( [FOX SPORTS INSIDER WITH MARTIN ROGERS] In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: Cincinnati locals have something to say about Joe Burrow’s thoughts that “there’s not a ton to do” in town ... we examine why the Cowboys are a boom-or-bust playoff team ... and more! There is virtually nothing Joe Burrow could do right now to make the citizens of Cincinnati waver in their love for him, so even pouring scorn on the city’s apparently less-than-glamorous nightlife scene passed without a shred of backlash. Three weeks ago, Burrow was quizzed about how the Bengals had managed to be one of the NFL’s least-affected teams in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, and cheekily quipped that it was because of the Queen City’s supposed lack of entertainment options. “Fortunately, there’s not a ton to do in Cincinnati,” [Burrow told reporters.]( “Nobody is getting out to bars and clubs and getting COVID every weekend. We’ve been healthy.” Cincy natives bristled a little at the suggestion their fine town is Boringsville, Ohio. The local police department offered to give Burrow a tour of the sights. The regional tourist board swiftly pointed out that [Travel and Leisure magazine listed Cincinnati]( as a top destination and, predictably, a glut of Bengals fans offered to show their beloved QB some seasonal hospitality. [STORY IMAGE 1] Any lingering hard feelings were swiftly washed away when Burrow destroyed the Baltimore Ravens on the back of 525 passing yards, then sparked a late comeback to end the Kansas City Chiefs’ long win streak, and helped the Bengals clinch the AFC North. “Joe Burrow was wrong that there’s nothing to do in Cincinnati,” Amie Hunsche, a lifelong Bengals fan and general manager of Champions Grille, a popular neighborhood sports bar on the city’s west side, said. “But he’s been right about pretty much everything else, so we’ll forgive him.” On Saturday, the Bengals will take on the Las Vegas Raiders and bid for the franchise’s first postseason win since Jan. 6, 1991. Back then, the team defeated the Houston Oilers 41-14, then lost to the Los Angeles Raiders a week later [in a game where Bo Jackson’s career ended in injury.]( There has been nothing for the Bengals since. Seven trips to the postseason, seven defeats. It is the longest such drought across all of the major American pro sports. Needless to say, the potential for some fresh history has the city buzzing. [STORY IMAGE 2] Perhaps Burrow should be excused for his missed take on Cincy’s social scene, as it seems the most fun time of the week to be out and about is while he’s doing his thing on the football field. “The city comes alive for Bengals games,” Hunsche added. “There are so many things to do and great places to enjoy yourself. But whenever the Bengals play it has a special feel about it and everyone is excited.” This weekend, Hunsche’s establishment is ready for its 16 tables to fill up – first come, first served - almost immediately after opening. She is prepared, with a full staffed roster and a maximum order of alcoholic product. If the Bengals go on to win and book a place in the divisional round, there might no amount of liquor that would adequately satisfy the party. The Raiders are coming off a thrilling, but surely exhausting, season finale in which it looked like they might tie the Los Angeles Chargers to send both teams to the postseason, before kicking a walk-off field goal to secure the 5-seed. [Cincinnati is a 5-point favorite]( and is priced at -250 on the money line, having completed the regular season with a 10-7 record to outlast the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and the Ravens to win the division with a week to spare. [STORY IMAGE 3] In the postseason they will, as usual, go as Burrow goes. On that front, FOX Sports NFL analyst Mark Sanchez insisted they are in safe hands. “I remember the first time I interviewed him,” Sanchez said. “I remember asking him, ‘If there was a pie chart and you had to put football into one category and other things like video games, family, etc. in other parts of that chart, how much of it would be football?’ “He’s all football, all the time.” “Burrow is legit,” added Sanchez. “And I knew after talking with him, and listening to him, and watching him, there’s just that moment when you’re done talking to the guy that you say to yourself ‘OK, I see it now. This guy is the real deal.’” Burrow’s development and the nature of this team, with an offensive mindset and bold talents like running back Joe Mixon and the dynamic receiving trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, has lifted fan morale. “One thing Cincinnati has never lacked is passionate support,” season ticket holder Ron Hamilton told me. “Now there is a genuine sense of pride. This is a good team. They’re not perfect but they’re strong and talented and play with tenacity. When the Bengals are doing well you can feel it in the city. Everyone walks a little bit taller.” [STORY IMAGE 4] The reputation of the Bengals being pushovers, with just 25 wins from the previous five seasons, has most certainly been shed, a fact not lost on Mixon. “Everybody used to laugh at us on the schedule and be like, 'Oh, we [have to] play the Bengals,’” Mixon told reporters. “’It's just a stat week.' Now it ain't no laughing, ain't no playing and joking no more. They know what's going on, they know how we coming.” There is an air of confidence in Cincinnati that hasn’t been felt for a long time. This is a fan base burned by past experience, but hopeful that the long-awaited brighter future is here. Cue, perhaps, the kind of party not seen for a while. “It has been so long since we won a playoff game that at times it has felt like it would never end,” Hamilton added. “If it ends this weekend? Well, let’s just say you’ll see how good Cincinnati nightlife can get.” [STORY IMAGE 5] [IN OTHER WORDS] - Will the Cowboys make a Super Bowl run or bow out this weekend? [FOX Sports’ Matt Mosley looks at both sides](. - Rachel Balkovec faced an uphill climb to make history as the first female manager in affiliated baseball. [FOX Sports MLB Writer Pedro Moura has her story.]( - Big men continue to thrive at Purdue, even in the 3-point era. [FOX Sports College Basketball Analyst Andy Katz explains]( the school's recent success in the paint. [VIEWER'S GUIDE] Butler at Georgetown (FS1, 7 p.m. ET) The Bulldogs and Hoyas meet for a Big East showdown. No. 16 Ohio State at No. 13 Wisconsin (ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET) Bragging rights and more are on the line in this Big Ten powerhouse matchup. Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks (TNT, 7:30 p.m. ET) The best in the west travel to face the defending NBA champs. [BET OF THE DAY] [BET OF THE DAY] Odds provided by [FOX Bet]( Raiders lose by fewer than 5 points or win outright From FOX Sports Betting Analyst Sam Panayotovich: The Raiders have been in playoff mode for four straight weeks, and they delivered with victories in all four. ... Meanwhile, Cincinnati has morphed into a very popular team at the window over the last month, and sportsbooks will undoubtedly take more Bengals bets in this matchup. ... The Raiders have gotten progressively better against the pass down the stretch, and they have the personnel in the secondary to play man coverage. That will allow Maxx Crosby & Co. to put enough pressure on Joe Burrow to keep things interesting. 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