The Cincinnati Bengals let Joe Burrow cook.
That’s the theme as the team enters the critical stretch of the season with the playoffs and AFC North at stake.
Entering Week 14, Burrow has played at an MVP level with and without Ja’Marr Chase.
And some of that has to do with the coaching staff letting him take control.
NFL Network’s James Palmer wrote the following about the Cincinnati offense: “I’m told the #Bengals changed their offense Week 5 to give Joe Burrow more control to make adjustments. QB coach Dan Pitcher and OC Brian Callahan have helped this offensive evolution since then and after Week 5, Cincinnati has won 6 of 7 and Burrow is in the MVP race.”
Burrow, as cerebral as it tends to get at the position, has thrown 17 touchdowns and four picks with a 111.2 rating since Week 5 — keep in mind Chase missed four of those games and the MVP contender squeaked out big performances from the likes of Trenton Irwin.
This shift in the offensive approach is simply the sign of a good coaching staff. They did the same thing with the running game to huge results earlier this season, shifting from a zone approach to a more direct one.
The synergy of a shifted, evolving offense with an offensive line getting better the more it reps together has the Bengals looking like a contender again. And Burrow’s firmly in the MVP race, due to sheer numbers, outdueling the likes of Patrick Mahomes and constantly ripping off key runs.
Much of the credit goes to the coaching staff for being willing to shift things. But that’s only made possible by one of the league’s best players at the most important position.
