Throughout the 2021 season, Joe Burrow has defied the odds, leading his team to an improbable AFC North title. After beating the Las Vegas Raiders and No. 1 seed Titans, Burrow led Cincy on another shocking win; besting the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship to book a spot in Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams. This game proved the Bengals were correct in making the LSU star the leader of their franchise.
After a rookie season filled with bumps, bruises, and learning lessons, Burrow earned the trust of his teammates. Despite a torn ACL, Joe Burrow turned himself into one of the NFL’s most exciting quarterbacks – capping it off with a Comeback Player of the Year award.
Burrow’s 2021 season started with an overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings. In Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens, he threw for 416 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-17 AFC North showdown. Despite a few more struggles, Burrow’s historic 525-yard Week 16 domination over the Ravens excited Cincinnati with playoff aspirations. A Week 17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs not only won Cincy the AFC North, but this game also showed Joe Burrow can beat the NFL’s best passers.
A major reason for Burrow’s success this season is recreating one of college football’s most dynamic duos in Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. In 2019, Joe Burrow and Chase made LSU one of college football’s most dynamic offenses. Both Bayou Bengals hooked up 84 times for 1,780 yards. Chase’s 20 touchdowns also set an SEC record, which Alabama star DeVonta Smith broke last season. After sitting out 2020, fans and experts wondered which teams would pick Chase after he sat out an entire year of football. Even before the 2021 NFL Draft, talk swirled over whether the Bengals would pair the LSU stars together or select Oregon tackle, Penei Sewell, with the No. 5 pick. The Bengals ultimately took Chase, who caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns.
While watching the Bengals this year, Joe Burrow has shown his toughness behind their offensive line. During the regular season, Burrow was sacked a league-high 51 times. In the AFC Divisional Round win over the Tennessee Titans, he was sacked nine times.
Despite the repeated pressure, Burrow completed a huge 19-yard pass to set up the game-winning field goal attempt. While Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs unraveled after building a 21-3 lead, Burrow took advantage and led the Bengals on five scoring drives. In Nashville and Kansas City, Burrow became the second quarterback since 1950 to lead his team on game-winning drives in his first two road playoff games.
Joe Burrow becomes the 2nd quarterback since 1950 to lead a game-winning drive in each of his first 2 career road playoff starts.
He joins Colin Kaepernick who did it between 2013 and 2014.
h/t @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/YLSU2FqKBa
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 30, 2022
For the Bengals, this game offers a chance at redemption. Cincinnati’s two other Super Bowl appearances both ended in losses to the San Francisco 49ers. In this year’s Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Rams will be the opponent. Both teams will be looking to change history in Los Angeles. The Rams haven’t won a title in LA since 1951. The Bengals will be looking for their first Super Bowl. An Ohio football team has not won an NFL title since NFL legend Jim Brown and Cleveland Browns in 1964.
If the Bengals are going to beat the Rams in Super Bowl LVI, Joe Burrow will need his best game in Hollywood – a city fit for stars!
