CINCINNATI — Bengals coach Zac Taylor did not hesitate when requested whether or not quarterback Joe Burrow needs to be in competition to win the NFL’s Most Priceless Participant award.
“Completely,” Taylor stated.
Burrow added to his rising checklist of credentials in an announcement 27-24 win over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on Sunday. Burrow grew to become the primary quarterback to beat Okay.C. counterpart Patrick Mahomes in three straight video games. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Tom Brady is the one different quarterback to have that many victories versus Mahomes, the 2018 MVP.
Bengals broad receiver Ja’Marr Chase firmly agreed together with his coach about Burrow’s MVP candidacy.
“He is among the best quarterbacks on this league,” Chase stated. “Everyone is aware of that. He needs to be within the MVP race. If he isn’t in it, he needs to be. Primary quarterback within the race.”
Burrow was 25-of-31 passing for 286 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday.
Cincinnati (8-4) entered the fourth quarter trailing Kansas Metropolis (9-3) by a landing earlier than issues turned within the Bengals’ favor. After linebacker Germaine Pratt stripped the ball out of Kansas Metropolis tight finish Travis Kelce’s grip and recovered the fumble, Burrow and the offense went to work.
With the Bengals trailing 24-20 at that time, Cincinnati went on a 10-play drive capped by an 8-yard landing go from Burrow to operating again Chris Evans. That was Burrow’s ninth passing rating within the fourth quarter, essentially the most by any quarterback within the NFL this season, based on ESPN Stats & Data analysis.
Taylor was fast to reward Burrow’s go safety on Sunday. Burrow was not pressured on 27 of his go makes an attempt, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats, and was sacked simply as soon as.
However the third-year participant proved slippery all through the day. He had a career-high 11 carries for 46 yards and one dashing landing. He now has 5 dashing touchdowns, matching Jack Thompson’s 1979 document for essentially the most by a Bengals quarterback in a single season.
“He has nice dimension and elusiveness,” Kansas Metropolis defensive finish Frank Clark stated. “Folks do not actually put quite a lot of respect on his title on the subject of how elusive he’s within the pocket and his pocket presence.”
Taylor, the group’s playcaller, put the ball in Burrow’s palms to seal the sport and finish Kansas Metropolis’s streak of 14 consecutive victories within the month of December, a stretch that dates again to Mahomes’ first yr as a starter in 2018.
On third-and-11, Bengals broad receiver Tee Higgins stated he and Tyler Boyd thought Cincinnati was going to run the ball to chew up some clock. Higgins stated the receivers checked out Burrow within the huddle and requested him a easy query: run or go?
“He stated, ‘Cross,'” Higgins stated. “All of us checked out one another. He stated, ‘Let’s get it achieved.'”
Burrow and the Bengals did simply that. He discovered Higgins for a 14-yard completion that successfully ended the sport.
Each of Cincinnati’s victories towards Kansas Metropolis final season got here on successful subject objectives as time expired. Towards the AFC’s prime group to date in 2022, the successful margin was greater.
Burrow shrugged off the MVP dialogue from Taylor and his teammates.
“I do not play the sport for these sorts of accolades,” Burrow stated. “I play the sport for these guys within the locker room. What it takes from me each Sunday, that is what I am going to do. If I’ve at hand the ball off 72 occasions and are available out with a win, I will be completely satisfied.”
Getting into Sunday, Burrow ranked third within the NFL in fourth-quarter QBR, based on ESPN Stats & Data.
When Cincinnati wanted massive performs towards one of many NFL’s finest groups and quarterbacks, Burrow delivered.
“He is enjoying on the stage we want for him to steer us, to be assured that we will win each sport we play,” Taylor stated, including that there isn’t any doubt about Burrow’s standing within the MVP dialog. “I’ve stated it earlier than. I would not commerce him for anyone on the planet.”
ESPN’s Adam Teicher contributed to this report.
