'Quarterback' Ep 2 Review: Bengals' Joe Burrow Pursues Playing Perfection, Learns of Major Fashion Miscue

CINCINNATI – After receiving the least amount of airtime in Episode 1 of the Netflix series "Quarterback," Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals dominate Episode 2.

Nearly half of the episode, which is titled ‘Damn Near Perfect,’ is devoted to Burrow and the Bengals early struggles to the start of the 2024 season.

Burrow’s airtime clocks in at 23 minutes and 30 seconds of the 51-minute episode.

Atlanta’s Kirk Cousins gets 14:30, and Detroit’s Jared Goff receives about nine minutes.

The episode opens with a two and a half-minute montage of the three quarterbacks talking about the elusive pursuit of perfection before shifting to Cincinnati, where Burrow is at his house talking with his stylist, Kyle Smith.

Smith is trying to talk Burrow into carrying an oversized bag. Burrow balks at it, but photos of his entrance to Arrowhead Stadium for the team’s Week 2 game against the Kansas City Chiefs show him toting it.

The story transitions to Burrow’s mother, Robin, who was in fashion merchandising when Burrow was little.

Robin talks about how particular Burrow was about clothing as a child, and there are several photos used as examples – one of which features him in a Batman costume.

Switching back to Burrow and Smith, the stylist informs the quarterback that one of his favorite outfits was the Rick Owens knit sweater he wore. Smith then asks Burrow, “Do you know you wore it backward.”

“No, I didn’t,” Burrow replies.

“Yes, you did,” Smith says.

“Interesting,” Burrow muses.

That scene spins into Burrow at Fashion Week in Paris before shifting to game day in Kansas City.

Among the two plays featured are Burrow’s fourth-down touchdown pass to Andrei Iosivas, and the fourth-down pass interference call against Cincinnati rookie Daijahn Anthony, followed by Burrow’s reaction to it.

The episode shows two interesting interactions.

Episode 1 review: Joe Burrow learns piano, but simple household task remains unmastered

The first is before Harrison Butker’s game-winning kick for the Chiefs and features Bengals backup quarterback Jake Browning telling Burrow that whether they win or lose the game, he played great and proved he’s all the way back from the wrist injury.

The second is after the game when Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo seeks out Burrow and tells him, “Other than our guy (Patrick Mahomes), you’re the best in the business.’”

A Netflix producer asks Burrow what his mindset is after a loss like that, and he says, “On to the next one.”

And that’s what the show does, spinning forward to Week 3 against Washington, with Burrow talking about how well he played but calling the 38-33 loss the coming-out party for Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

After three and a half minutes on Cousins and nine with Goff, the show goes back to Burrow with another cool aerial shot of the city with audio tracks of talk shows bashing the Bengals for their 0-3 start and asking whether they are done.

That’s followed by shots of Burrow driving while being interviewed by a show producer.

Asked if he will be more vocal, he talks about how that’s not his style, but he’ll do it if he has something to say.

The show cuts to pregame of Week 4 in Carolina, where you hear Sam Hubbard giving a profanity-thick speech to the team.

Burrow steps up and says, “I’ve got something, Sam. Hold on.”

He talks about their backs being against the f—king wall and fighting for their lives, and the show transitions to highlights of the game, which results in the team’s first win, with highlights of Ja’Marr Chase’s long touchdown run after a short pass and Zack Moss’ touchdown catch from Burrow right before the half.

After 11:30 of Cousins, the show goes back to Burrow and sets up the Week 5 game against the Ravens.

It also features Burrow and Chase sitting at a table with their parents and reliving how their families became good friends during their days at LSU.

That transitions into Burrow’s midweek press conference where he says in order to win he has to play “damn near perfect,” the name of the episode.

Lots of highlights of the Ravens game follow, and the episode ends with Bengals radio announcer Dan Hoard voicing over the highlights “On to overtime we go.”