Playing in Cleveland has been a house of horror for Cincinnati Bengals signal caller Joe Burrow in his career. He put some of that notion to rest on Sunday with a steady performance going 15-25 for 181 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions with a QB rating of 108.9. The Bengals gained momentum from the opening kickoff when wide receiver and return specialist Charlie Jones took it 100 yards to put Cincinnati up 7-0. The defense continued their strong play of late and stopped Nick Chubb from getting into a rhythm. They also rushed the passer consistently which helped the defensive backs downfield. This was the men in stripes’ best overall performance on both sides of the ball and they will need more of this week if they want to get to .500 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Joe Burrow’s Steady Performance Boosts Bengals Against Browns
One Connection
The connection between Ja’Marr Chase and Burrow is well-documented but still impressive after all these years. All the reps Burrow and Chase have put in since their college days usually pay off in big moments when the Bengals need it most. With the offensive in a lull in the first half, it was time to get rolling in the third quarter and that’s exactly what happened. Burrow would hit Chase on the unguardable back shoulder fade for 18 yards to put the orange and black up 14-6.
Ja'Marr Chase hitting the Iverson stepover cele 🤌pic.twitter.com/1udhrBcZ9z
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) October 20, 2024
Chase noted that this was a converted route to a go-ball where he and Burrow just worked their magic. This show isn’t meant just for one player as the Bengals also have another superstar they love to get involved.
Tee’s Time
The importance of Tee Higgins on this offense can’t be understated. He is the key and opens everything else up for Chase, and the Bengals running back tandem of Chase Brown and Zack Moss. Even though Higgins is on the franchise tag, you wouldn’t know it by watching him go about his business weekly. He continues to grind and has done a fantastic job of getting tough yards after contact with his big frame. The Bengals WR2 also doesn’t get enough credit for his breakaway speed after initial contact that was on full display to put the nail in the coffin for the Browns.
TEE HIGGINS TOUCHDOWN
BENGALS UP 21-6 pic.twitter.com/Es7Zue8FQP
— Cincinnati 💔 (@CincyProblems) October 20, 2024
Positive Trends
Burrow and this coaching staff know they have a long way to go if they are to keep stacking wins to get back into playoff contention. With the recent solid play of the defense and complimentary football at the forefront, it’s time to take things to the next level. QB1 fully understands this and his confidence is high heading into Week 8 when he stated after the win, “I would say I’m pretty optimistic about how our team is playing right now. The last two weeks have been big for our defense, getting healthy, making plays, causing turnovers. That’s what our defense is all about. That was big.”
For now, optimism abounds in Cincinnati and there’s only one way to keep it going. We’ll see how clairvoyant Burrow is with 10 games left.
Main Photo: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
