Joe Burrow should be in the MVP conversation
By Kristen Wong
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is on the rise after a dominant Week 11 performance -- is anyone at all surprised?
Burrow had an impressive outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week as the Bengals finally got a dub from their AFC North opponents. Despite throwing two picks that game, Burrow posted 355 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in one of his most prolific games of the year.
In fact, Burrow has been near-automatic in the last several weeks, throwing 13 touchdowns against three interceptions since Week 6.
He's maintained a steady level of production even though his favorite target Ja'Marr Chase missed time due to injury and if all goes well, will lead the Bengals to their second consecutive playoff appearance in 2022.
Joe Burrow is the Bengals' MVP and deserves to be in the league MVP conversation
We don't want to jinx it, though. Burrow got the Bengals rolling to a satisfying win over the Steelers in their first game back from the bye week, yet his job will only get harder from here.
With one of the more difficult remaining schedules, Cincinnati is barely in the playoff picture right now and still has to play against tough offenses like the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.
If Burrow can rally his team to victories over those AFC powerhouses, he'll give Cincinnati the best chance at earning a top seed in the postseason.
This season hasn't come without its challenges. Burrow hurdled over a slow start to quietly put together a stellar passing season worthy of the ranks of Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. Currently, he has 2,890 passing yards and has completed 69.1 percent of his passes -- those numbers aren't as impressive as his numbers in 2021, but considering the multitude of factors, Burrow has proven he remains a top-five quarterback in the league.
His offensive line has developed more chemistry through 11 weeks and is providing more adequate pass protection. In spite of Joe Mixon's below-average running season, Burrow has been able to win games in the air and keep the Bengals' offense humming week after week.
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Time will tell if Burrow can keep up the pace, but so far, he's cruising his way to two incredibly successful seasons after an injury-shortened rookie campaign. How's that for a comeback story?