Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has, at worst, been sitting on the outskirts of the MVP conversation ever since Ja’Marr Chase went down and the offense kept humming.
Buy Bengals TicketsBut Sunday’s comeback win over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs put an end to any doubt — Burrow is a real contender.
There, Burrow went 25-of-31 for 286 yards and two touchdowns and had several key runs, rushing for 46 yards and a score, too. He outdueled Mahomes to make the head-to-head matchup 3-0 and orchestrated a go-ahead drive, then a game-sealing drive.
For as much attention as MVP contenders like Josh Allen get for their rushing ability, Burrow quietly did his usual thing in this area:
Burrow doing it all today. @JoeyB
📺: #KCvsCIN on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/KRUwj1CkWe pic.twitter.com/fYdkv7l2YP— NFL (@NFL) December 4, 2022
And with a 3rd-and-11 and the game at stake, Burrow stood in the pocket under immense pressure and put an accurate dart over and between defenders to end the game:
Joe Brr just iced the game. @JoeyB#KCvsCIN pic.twitter.com/YqymnKrCUw
— NFL (@NFL) December 5, 2022
This isn’t some one-off this season, either. In three games without Chase this year, Burrow threw for 793 yards, seven touchdowns and three picks on a 70.5 completion percentage and 103.1 rating and a 2-1 record. Then, he led the team into Tennessee and in a victory without Chase threw for another 270 yards and a score.
Not that Burrow has any interest in the individual accolades. He is, after all, the guy who shrugged it off and said the team wanted more after breaking Cincinnati’s playoff drought last year.
“It is what it is. I don’t play the game for those kinds of accolades,” Burrow said, according to ESPN’s Ben Baby. I play the game for those guys in the locker room. Whatever it takes from me every Sunday, that’s what I’ll do. If I have to hand the ball off 72 times and come out with a win, I’ll be happy.”
There’s a lot of season left, but winning out in November after shrugging off the slow start is a huge boon for Burrow. And it’s worth pointing out that without that ruptured appendix before the season, the slow start might not have even happened.
With showdowns against Tom Brady and the Bucs, the Browns, the Ravens and Bills still on the slate, Burrow has a serious shot to win over the majority of voters. And so far, there has been little reason to think his play will suddenly dip, not with Chase back and an offensive line finally playing well.
