Do we think Joe Burrow is having fun now?
It has been a weird couple of weeks for the Bengals and their fans. The fans found out they are probably going to run it back with the coaching staff and “GM”. They got eliminated from playoff contention. Joe Burrow ignited a media firestorm with some innocent comments. However, on Sunday, they put those worries behind them, at least for one afternoon.
Cincinnati completely outclassed Miami, racing past them for a 45-21 win. Following a 17-14 halftime lead, the Bengals used 4 different turnovers to extend their lead to 45-14 going into the fourth quarter. Sure, it is a lost season, but Sunday afternoon gave a tantalizing look at what this team could be if the defense would only marginally improve (just like last year).
The defense deserves their flowers, but the offense will likely be the story of the day. A week after Joe Burrow was shut out for the first time since he was drafted, he went 25/32 for 309 yards and 4 touchdowns. He looked cool and calm under pressure, and pulled of several “Burrowdini” acts, eventually earning himself a deserved rest on the bench for the majority of the 4th quarter. For a guy who has been visibly frustrated multiple times since he returned, a vintage performance had to be a good feeling.
Elsewhere on offense, Chase Brown had 19 touches for 109 yards and 3 touchdowns, with all three coming in the third quarter. For the receivers, Ja’Marr Chase paced the team with 9 receptions for 109 yards, including a deep ball very reminiscent of his 4th-down catch in the 2022 AFC Championship game. In his return from injury, Tee Higgins had 3 catches for 53 yards and a touchdown. In his return to the team that drafted him, Mike Gesicki chipped in with a touchdown catch and an incredibly ugly Griddy as well.
Defensively, this was the best they have looked since the Thanksgiving win over the Ravens (low bar, I know). Myles Murphy continued his awesome string of play, blowing up multiple runs and consistently beating his blocker. The linebackers still leave a ton to be desired, but they did only get embarrassed a few times today, and Barrett Carter even logged an interception, so all you can do is hope they continue to improve.
In the secondary, things looked good, for the most part. DJ Turner was limited due to illness, so some of the other players were needed to step up. Josh Newton made a good PBU on the Barrett Carter interception, which is great news for a guy who has not played a ton this year. Jalen Davis made an amazing INT covering Jaylen Waddle, and looks like he could man the slot in the future for this team.
In the safety room, Jordan Battle forced a fumble and seems to be a guy who you can build this defense around, even after his struggles early in the year. As for Geno Stone… Get that bum off the team.
We can debate all we want about how winning screws up draft positioning, or how Zac sucks as a head coach, or how Duke Tobin should be fired into the sun. I get every single argument for that. All we can do is hope Burrow’s subtle comments to the front office make a difference. But maybe, just for one Sunday, we can enjoy our team winning a football game, which they have had a hard time doing this season.
