The Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens are the clear top two teams in the AFC North, even though the Pittsburgh Steelers won the division last season. Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson are big reasons why that's the case.
But the debate continues to rage over Burrow and Jackson, as far as who's better. In a vacuum, you could argue Lamar has the more dynamic arm and running ability. Joe Shiesty doesn't have the history of playoff chokery. Injuries have held him back more than anything else.
Alas, Jackson got the nod in FanSided's recently released QB rankings. Yours truly was part of the panel who voted on these guys, along with other site experts across our NFL division. Here's the top five who made it into Tier 1: Truly Elite:
- Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
- Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
- Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
- Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
- Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
It's worth diving into some of the misconceptions about both players, who gets the clear edge for now, and why Burrow is poised to take over in the coming years.
Burrow and Jackson both get banged up a lot
As much as Joe Burrow gets knocked for his injury woes, Lamar Jackson has missed a comparable amount of time throughout his career. Lamar missed four starts last season, and played in 12 games apiece during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Worth noting those years especially, because they happen to coincide with when Burrow and the Bengals ran to Super Bowl LVI and the next AFC Championship Game.
Unfortunately for Joe Brrr, he's missed bigger chunks of seasons when he's gotten hurt. His games played by year amid his major injuries are as follows:
- 2020: 10
- 2023: 10
- 2025: 8
The notion that Burrow should be docked more for his injuries than Lamar is a bit of a misnomer, though.
Lamar's two league MVPs give him the edge
The MVP award is a funny thing. Lamar's best season by far was in 2024, when he had 41 TD passes to four INTs and ran for 915 yards. That also happened to be Burrow's best year, as he led the NFL in TD throws and passing yards.
But Lamar had just won the previous year, when many debated his worthiness. And Burrow didn't make the playoffs through no fault of his own in '24. Hence, the MVP went to first-time recipient Josh Allen for pure narrative purposes. I mean, how do you win MVP when you're second-team All-Pro? Make it make sense!
Anyway, fair or not, the two MVPs Lamar has are fully justified. Burrow hasn't notched that individual accolade. However, he's a prime contender to be Comeback Player of the Year for the third time in 2026. That makes me sad.
So while Lamar's regular-season resume gives him the nod over Burrow, let's look at the elephant in the room a little more closely.
Joe's playoff legacy is far superior
You will never see a worse throw in the NFL in your life than the interception Lamar Jackson threw into triple coverage in the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs. The No. 1 seed Ravens were at home. Their defense, then called by Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl-winning head coach Mike Macdonald, shut out the mighty Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid in the second half.
Lamar still couldn't get it done. And that's hardly the first time he's choked away a playoff game.
Joe Burrow boasts a 5-2 playoff record. He's a far better QB now than he was then, with a far better offensive line to protect him. It stands to reason if he gets back into the postseason, the Bengals are as dangerous as any team.
Jackson is 3-5 in the playoffs with a rather abysmal 84.6 passer rating. I can't name a single moment where the bigger stage of the postseason ever got to Burrow. Oh, and Joe has actually made it to a Super Bowl.
Why Burrow will reign supreme over Jackson in the coming years
There's little doubt in my mind that Joe Burrow will age better as a player than Lamar Jackson. We're already seeing the signs of Lamar's wear and tear getting to him. All those carries and hits he takes, never mind the punishment he absorbs as a pocket passer, tend to add up over time.
While Burrow's medical rap sheet is downright intimidating, he's adapting to how he plays the game, as SI.com's Albert Breer reported a while back:
"He feels like he's able to do as much as he's ever been able to do as a quarterback. [...] Last year, coming back from the turf toe injury, he was limited in his movement, which forced him to grow as a pocket passer. As a result, now he feels like he's taken another step at the position and is in for a big year."
You see that, haters? Joe Burrow believes he's a better pocket quarterback than ever before. That turf toe injury actually forced him to be even more disciplined in the pure dropback game.
Lamar doesn't strike me as a guy who knows how to adapt. He's a jittery, antsy, full-send type of guy. It's wildly entertaining and borderline unstoppable when he's firing on all cylinders. I'm not so sure it's as sustainable as the brand of football Burrow intends to play well into his 30s.
Out of respect for Lamar, I won't say Joe will end the debate this year when he leads the Bengals on an inevitable deep playoff run. I will say, the debate will be over by 2028. And Burrow will deliver a Super Bowl to Cincinnati before Lamar can do the same in Baltimore.
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