How Joe Burrow led Bengals to the Super Bowl
The second-year QB has thrown for 13 TDs and just two interceptions during Cincinnati's six-game winning streak
Joe Burrow likely doesn’t want to hear the underdog story, but the Bengals weren’t supposed to be here, at least not this fast.
The Bengals built around the former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback after he proved he was worthy of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft. Burrow delivered thrilling performances before he suffered a season-ending knee injury to cut his rookie season short.
The Bengals made the right signings and draft picks in the past two seasons, but the rebuild project quickly advanced because of Burrow’s leadership and confidence.
He made the Bengals believe they could defeat the mighty Kansas City Chiefs twice in five games, including in the AFC championship game.
Burrow said the Bengals are no longer underdogs and that’s a big reason why they’re in Los Angeles for a Super Bowl matchup against the Rams.
How they got here
The Bengals won their first AFC North title since 2015 because of back-to-back drafts that changed the franchise’s fortunes.
It started with making Burrow the No. 1 overall pick and adding weapons for him, like wide receivers Tee Higgins, the team’s second-round pick last year, and Ja’Marr Chase, the team’s No. 5 overall pick in April.
The Bengals also drafted key players in linebacker Logan Wilson, a 2020 third-round pick, and kicker Evan McPherson, a 2021 fifth-round pick.
But the Bengals didn’t turn into a winning team by solely focusing on the draft. They finally spent money in free agency by adding defensive end Trey Hendrickson and cornerbacks Eli Apple and Mike Hilton.
Turning point
The Burrow versus Justin Herbert showdown never materialized after the Chargers jumped out to a 24-0 lead and cruised to a dominant win in Cincinnati in Week 13. But that early doubledigit deficit might have been the best thing that could have happened to the Bengals.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor allowed Burrow to push the ball downfield and opened the playbook to trim the deficit to 24-22 midway through the third quarter before the Chargers pulled away. Burrow made sensational throws to Higgins and wide receiver Tyler Boyd during the furious rally.
ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky took heat for saying Burrow had a better performance than Herbert, who recorded 317 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Burrow finished with 300 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
It’s hard to agree with Orlovsky because Herbert had the better numbers and his team won, but Burrow made some unreal throws in the losing performance. That was probably the game where Taylor realized Burrow had fully recovered from his torn ACL and MCL and unleashed him for the rest of the season.
The Bengals also fell short the following week against the San Francisco 49ers, but they delivered a better performance that led to a three-game winning streak to capture the AFC North title.
During the Bengals’ current six-game winning streak, Burrow has thrown 13 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
Unsung hero: Sam Hubbard, defensive end
Hubbard might be the second-most popular player on the Bengals behind Burrow because he was raised in Cincinnati and played at Ohio State.
He’s been one of the Bengals’ best defensive players by providing consistent pressure at the line of scrimmage and contributed 7.5 sacks and 62 combined tackles this season.
X-factor player: Tee Higgins, wide receiver
Higgins has made the most of his opportunities with opposing defenses focusing on containing Chase.
Higgins could present matchup problems for the Rams if they decide to have cornerback Jalen Ramsey shadow Chase. Higgins, at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, is a physical, big-body receiver who’s reliable when the game is tight.
Top newcomer: Ja’Marr Chase, wide receiver
Burrow pushed for his former LSU teammate while most draft experts shouted at the Bengals to draft an offensive tackle in the first round to protect the franchise quarterback.
The Bengals likely wouldn’t be in the Super Bowl if they hadn’t selected Chase with the fifth overall pick. Chase’s explosiveness took the Bengals to a different level. He came up clutch in many memorable games this season.
Offensive player of the year: Joe Burrow, quarterback
This ride to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles happened because of Burrow. He made his teammates believe they belonged against the best teams in the NFL and had many sensational performances down the stretch. He’s the frontrunner for Comeback Player of the Year after the devastating knee injury halted his rookie season after 10 games.
Defensive player of the year: Trey Hendrickson, defensive end
Many wondered if Hendrickson had a fluke breakout season with the New Orleans Saints in 2020.
The Bengals took a chance by signing Hendrickson to a fouryear, $60 million contract and never looked back. Hendrickson recorded 14 sacks this season and probably made the Saints regret their decision to let him walk in free agency.
Shrewd coaching move
The Bengals had a thrilling overtime loss to the 49ers in Week 14, but that was the game when Taylor ended his conservative play-calling and allowed the offense to reach new heights with Burrow and his many weapons.
Cincinnati was faced with a fourth-and-5 from the 49ers’ 17yard line with less than 10 minutes left in regulation and a 20-6 deficit. Burrow responded with a touchdown pass to Chase to start the rally.
That ignited the Bengals’ threegame winning streak against the Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs.