After clutch win against Chiefs, Burrow earns weekly award
CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow joined the league MVP conversation with his performance Sunday, leading the Cincinnati Bengals to a win against the AFC-leading Kansas City Chiefs, but he also earned another weekly honor in the process.
The third-year quarterback was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 13 after completing 25 of 31 passes (80.6 percent) for 286 yards and two touchdowns for a season-high passer rating of 126.6 in a 27-24 win over the Chiefs. His completion percentage tied for the second-highest in the NFL last week, while his passer rating and 9.2 yards per attempt led all AFC quarterbacks.
“It is what it is,” Burrow said when asked about the honor Wednesday in his weekly press conference.
Burrow also added 46 yards rushing, including a 4-yard carry for a touchdown on the opening drive. The game marked the eighth time in Burrow’s career and fifth time this season that he recorded passing and rushing touchdowns in the same game.
As often is the case, Burrow was particularly effective in the fourth quarter when the game was in doubt with the Bengals trailing 24-17. He completed nine of 11 passes for 80 yards in the quarter, including an eight-yard touchdown pass to Chris Evans with 8:54 left that proved to be the game-winner. When the Bengals got the ball back with a 27-24 lead at the 3:19 mark, Burrow engineered a game-clinching drive in which he went 3-for-3 and converted two third downs.
This was Burrow’s fourth career AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. He won it in Week 4 of the 2021 season after a win over Jacksonville, in Week 16 of 2021 after beating Baltimore and Week 7 of this season following a victory against Atlanta. Bengals players have combined to win five weekly awards this season.
Huber back with practice squad
Two days after he was released, punter Kevin Huber made his way back to the Bengals organization on the practice squad. Huber, a 14th-year player out of the University of Cincinnati, was waived by the Bengals on Monday.
The Bengals are moving forward with Drue Chrisman as their punter, having officially signed him from the practice squad Tuesday after he maxed out his gameday roster elevation opportunities with appearances in the last three games. However, Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons on Monday said Chrisman can still benefit from having Huber around as a mentor.
Huber has played in a team-record 216 games and is the Bengals’ career leader in every major statistical category for punting, including total punts (1,011), punting yards (45,766), gross average (45.27), net average (40.34) and punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line (346).
“I think Drue should want Kevin to be around here,” Simmons said. “I think the experience that Kevin brings and just the ability to relate to somebody in a different manner than talking to me would be invaluable to Drue.”
Tight end signed to practice squad
On Tuesday, the Bengals signed tight end Tanner Hudson to the practice squad. Hudson, a third-year player from Southern Arkansas, played in 11 games this season with the New York Giants. He was waived by the Giants on Dec. 5. He caught 10 passes for 132 yards this season.
To make room for Hudson, the Bengals waived defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin, a fourth-round draft pick in 2021.