by Alejandro Menendez
Coming into the 2023 NFL season, most everyone thought of Joe Burrow as a top 5 if not top 3 quarterback. However, no one could have expected the dramatic decline in his performance at the beginning of the year.
Going just 1-3 in his first 4 games with a passer rating of 69.1 (out of 158.3) with just 2 touchdowns against 2 interceptions, Joe Burrow struggled to get any momentum at all. Despite this, he has managed to crunch out two crucial wins in his last two games passing for 5 touchdowns and two interceptions with the team sitting at 3-3.
But the question still remains: is Joe Burrow back?
As many know, Burrow suffered a right calf injury just weeks before the season began. This has more than likely had an impact on him and his ability to get out of the pocket and see the field. However, slow starts have seemed to be a part of Joe’s career. For example, Joe started 0-2 in 2022, before making a run all the way to the AFC championship game.
That’s another thing about Joe Burrow, it seems that he always finds a way to win in the most crucial games and scenarios. This type of play has earned him not just an AFC championship and Super Bowl appearance, but also the largest NFL contract of all time. Cincinnati has made it clear that Burrow is their guy for years to come, and this is absolutely the right decision.
Yes, Burrow may have had a bit of a lackluster start to this season, however, I would not be surprised to see the young star bounce back and lead the Bengals to another playoff appearance. This shouldn’t be terribly difficult as he is surrounded by stars such as Jamar Chase (Burrow’s college teammate), and Tee Higgins.
Though “Joe Cool” and the Bengals have not started the way they expected, this team has a lot on their side with the promising young quarterback under center for years to come.