It’s difficult enough beating Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow once. Good luck beating him twice.
All quarterbacks have their own form of kryptonite, but in 2021, Burrow hasn’t lost a series to any team. In fact, he usually has the upper hand when facing opponents a second time.
Cincinnati are one win away from reaching the Super Bowl, but that win requires the Bengals to upset the mighty Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bengals beat them not too long ago in early January when Burrow threw 446 yards and four touchdowns for a 34-31 victory.
But the Chiefs have the undisputed edge in its offensive nucleus of Mahomes, Kelce, and Hill — those three have combined for massive yardage hauls not just in regular season, but postseason as well.
Ever since Mahomes was drafted in 2017, the Chiefs have reached the playoffs four times, and Kelce and Hill have recorded a total of 1,791 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in those four postseasons.
The Chiefs’ Big Three will enter Sunday’s matchup with almost every advantage over the Bengals’ offense (experience, chemistry, big-play ability), but Joey B might have a few tricks up his sleeve.
Burrow does, after all, have an excellent record when it comes to playing a team twice.
Brian Callahan likes the idea of Joe Burrow facing a team a second time.
— Marisa Contipelli (@BengalsMarisa) January 24, 2022
Burrow in game 2 this season vs the same opponent:
BAL - 525 yds, 4 TD, 143 QBR
PIT - 190 yds, 2 TOT TD, 83% CMP
LV - 244 yds, 2 TD, 110 QBR
The Bengals won all 3 of those games.
Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow performs extremely well against teams he has played before
Cincinnati memorably swept the Ravens and Steelers this past season, and in the second games of each of those series, Burrow played some of his best football.
The Bengals put 41 points past Pittsburgh and another 41 past Baltimore, and other than recording a pick in the Steelers’ game, Burrow’s near-perfect performances helped his team win the AFC North.
Against the Las Vegas Raiders, Burrow managed to squeeze out a 26-19 win in his first taste of the postseason, proving to the league that he belonged here. In the playoffs. Right next to Mahomes.
The two elite signal-callers come face to face on Sunday in the AFC Championship, where Mahomes has already been three times before.
This may be Burrow’s first rodeo, but if his Week 17 performance against Kansas City was any indication, Burrow isn’t scared of any team. He’s been sacked plenty. He’s come from behind. He’s made incredibly tough and clutch passes late in games to keep the Bengals’ Cinderella run alive, and he has every intention of making it to the Super Bowl.
Patrick Mahomes, meet your match.