Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is only halfway through his rookie season, but Cincinnati has to be ecstatic about what it has seen from the No. 1 overall pick.
No, the Bengals (2-5-1) likely won’t make the playoffs this year, but the moment has not been too big for Burrow, who has completed 67.0 percent of his passes for 2,272 yards and accounted for 14 touchdowns (11 pass, three rush) to just five interceptions.
Just how impressive has Burrow been this season?
“I do believe he’s the real deal,” Hall of Famer and Bengals legend Anthony Munoz said on Tiki & Tierney. “I watched him all last year, just about every game in college on television, and the thing that impressed me was his poise, his confidence, his smarts. But he played better as the game got bigger.”
After going 2-14 last year, the Bengals had nowhere to go but up – and Burrow is taking them there. Cincinnati hasn't made the playoffs since 2015, but that figures to change – and sooner rather than later.
“I’m always a little surprised when rookie quarterbacks come in and do what he’s doing because as we know, that’s the toughest position on the football field. That takes a lot,” Munoz said. “But I’ve been crazy impressed not only with his physical ability but it’s almost like, ‘Okay, go ahead and bring extra guys. I’m going to read it so quick and get rid of it because I know [where] I’m going [with the ball].’ That’s what’s been impressive to me: his whole mental approach, how he’s been checking at the line of scrimmage. It’s almost like, ‘No, we don’t have to give him just a little bit of the game plan; let’s give him the whole buffet because this guy can handle it.’
“I’m excited about Joe Burrow,” Munoz continued. “He does have a lot of weapons, but that offensive line, we got to get rolling in that and really shore that up, get some solid protection, some solid run blocking. But [if he stays healthy], he has a chance to play a long time in this league at a very, very high level.”
The Bengals will face the Steelers (8-0) in Pittsburgh this Sunday. Kickoff is at 4:25 p.m. ET.