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Bengals: Brandon Allen is a nice backup for Joe Burrow

By Leigh Oleszczak

Dec 27, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor talks with quarterback Brandon Allen (8) during the second half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 27, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor talks with quarterback Brandon Allen (8) during the second half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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As Joe Burrow heads into his second season as the Cincinnati Bengals‘ quarterback, it’s important to put a reliable backup behind him. Brandon Allen is a good backup to have for Burrow because he’s an experienced veteran and has seen plenty of reps as a starter.

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports doesn’t seem to agree, however, as he listed the Bengals’ backup quarterback situation in the bottom half of the league. Benjamin had this to say about Allen:

"After stops with the Jags and Rams, Allen emerged as a gutsy, if uneven, fill-in for Flacco in Denver, then started five games for the injured Joe Burrow in 2020. A standard arm, he’s not gonna put a team on his back, but he won’t lose you every game on his own."

This is a fair assessment of Allen. He’s not a star but we already know that and it’s why he’s a backup quarterback and not a starter.

As Benjamin mentioned, Allen had a few pitstops before arriving in Cincinnati and this will be his second season with the Bengals backing up Burrow. He started five games for the Bengals after Burrow went down and tossed for 925 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions with his best performance coming in a Week 16 win over the Texans. In that game, Allen threw for 371 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bengals are fortunate to have Brandon Allen as their backup quarterback.

Sure, the situation could be better but as far as backup quarterbacks go, Allen is a decent option. He’s proven that he can step into a game and win games and that he’s not going to completely blow it either. That’s all you can really ask of a backup quarterback.

Also on the quarterback depth chart, the Bengals have Kyle Shurmur and Collin Hill, but neither of them are really threats to win the backup job over Allen, who has proven himself already to the team. Shurmur and Hill are both former UDFAs and there’s intrigue with both of them but the Bengals shouldn’t get cute here. Allen is the right choice at backup quarterback.

Next. 6 Must-Watch QB Matchups for Joe Burrow. dark

While I understand putting the Bengals in the bottom half of the rankings, Bengals fans have seen what Allen can do when thrust into a starting spot and he held his own. Should Burrow miss an extended period of time (knock on wood please), then Allen can get the Bengals through a few games.