"Weird" but true: Zac Taylor baffled by Bengals’ biggest star getting even better

The Cincinnati Bengals are poised to return to the playoffs for the first time in three years, and head coach Zac Taylor only reinforced that notion with his latest remarks.

Whether you want to cite the Law of Averages, or the fact that at least four new teams qualify annually since 1990, one thing's for sure: As long as Joe Burrow is taking snaps from center, Cincinnati has a shot.

Burrow has been candid about how Bengals training camp feels "different" than the past two disappointing years. That stems not only from the good health he's enjoyed thus far — knock on wood — but also the added reps, which have him feeling as confident as he ever has.

If you're a Who Dey Nation disciple, you'll want to hear what Taylor had to say regarding Joey Franchise's continued development.

Zac Taylor specifies why this is the best version of Joe Burrow he's ever seen

In an interview with Kay Adams, Taylor described the improbable, continued strides Burrow has made to improve.

Although you can see the main quote captioned from the clip above, it's worth delving further into what Taylor said:

"It's weird…I got friends in the league, and you talk, you kind of recap training camp, and I've kind of made that comment. Like, Joe got better, and I don't even know how that's possible. It's just some of the throws he's making right now. He’s as good as I've seen him. The anticipation, I think, is at an even a higher level. And it's not even the anticipation. It’s the spots on the anticipation, the types of throws, and just the voids in the field he's seeing. He's always been excellent at that. I think it's really beneficial for him to get all these training camp reps that he's maybe at times missed in the past."

You hear that, other 31 teams? Joe Burrow is better than ever. Coming off a season where he led the league in passing yards and passing TDs.

No wonder Ja'Marr Chase is saying "the sky's the limit" for this offense. If Joe Brrr is as ice-cold of a gridiron assassin as he was last season in surgically picking apart opposing secondaries, that'd be enough to accept Chase's remark at face value.

But we're talking about an even better version of Burrow in 2025 here. I don't know how that's possible. Evidently it is, based on what Taylor has witnessed at practice every day.

You often hear the cliché "coach on the field" when it comes to franchise quarterbacks. Burrow transcends that. He's carrying the burdensome hopes and dreams of an entire organization and sports city on his back.

Among the consensus elite QBs in the sport, it's safe to say Burrow has fielded the least-favorable situation by far compared to Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen. Not to say Cincinnati hasn't supplied Burrow with ample weapons, but let's be honest, the degree of difficulty Burrow faces on an annual basis is far greater than his top-flight contemporaries.

To flourish as much as he has with such subpar pass protection, never mind all the extraneous organizational factors like annual contract disputes, and his own lengthy injury rap sheet, is an achievement that can't be appreciated enough.

Are you, reader, a little lost as to why I'm saying such things sans specification? This insight from Warren Sharp is a good starting point to potentially arrive at a mutual understanding with yours truly.

Us Bengals fans know all that Burrow has had to overcome to be one of the best players at the most demanding position in all of sports. That he continues to keep his head down and grind toward maximum self-improvement is a testament to the impeccable work ethic that's gotten him to this point. Take notes, Myles Murphy!

All that's really missing from Burrow's high achievements are an NFL Most Valuable Player award and a Lombardi Trophy. If some of the team can rise anywhere close to its field general's aspirational level, the Bengals may very well be basking in the glory of a Super Bowl parade through downtown Cincinnati this coming February.

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