Ja’marr Chase Negates Joe Burrow’s Superiority as Bengals QB Confirms Plan Against Eagles

The debate over who’s the best quarterback in the NFL never really ends, but Joe Burrow’s case is stronger than ever this year. For the first time since his rookie season, Burrow has entered the Cincinnati Bengals’ training camp fully healthy, and that’s already showing. He recently said he feels great and is throwing the ball better than he has in years. Asked why, Burrow didn’t go into detail. Instead, he simply credited being “out there every day” at practice. That’s a major shift from previous years, and his teammates are noticing it too.

In 2021, Joe Burrow was recovering from an ACL tear. In 2022, it was an emergency appendectomy. It was a strained calf in 2023 and then a wrist injury that ended his season. This summer? No medical setbacks. Just football. Burrow’s return to full health has transformed his team’s routine scrimmages into highlight reels. At a recent practice, he came out with fire, barking commands at the sideline and slicing through the defense like a surgeon. It wasn’t just sharp – it was dominant. Even his teammates started whispering about championship hopes.

Burrow even told reporters, “I think this is the best I’m throwing it in several years… Excited about where our team’s at, too.” Therefore, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase recently tried to make a case for his QB as the top guy in the league. We all know that Chase has been loud about his quarterback’s abilities several times. Similarly, this time, during an appearance on FanDuel TV’s Up & Adams, Chase went to bat for his QB, suggesting Burrow deserved a 99 rating in Madden – a mark that went to the QB Josh Allen instead. But did Chase accidentally throw shade at his own quarterback?

Host Kay Adams asked Chase why Burrow deserved the 99 rating. To which the WR replied, “When you talk about Joe’s tape, it’s completely different from Josh Allen’s… people game plan against Josh Allen, not against Joe Burrow. You play against his game weapons.” Ouch! While Chase likely meant to praise the Bengals’ offensive depth, his words implied that Allen commands more fear from defenses than Burrow himself. So, was he praising the Bengals’ system or undercutting his quarterback?

Statistically, Ja’marr Chase’s comments seem off. Allen led the Buffalo Bills to a 13-4 record last year. But here’s the catch. Allen’s personal numbers were not among his greatest as he recorded 3,731 yards, 28 touchdowns, and six picks. Joe Burrow, meanwhile, was electric last year with 4,918 yards, 43 touchdowns, nine interceptions, a 70.6% completion rate, and a 108.5 passer rating. Still, to be fair, Chase did explain what sets Joe Burrow apart. 

“He has it all… the timing, the accuracy, the placement, the speed, the awareness, the field recognition… audibles in the backfield,” Chase had also said on the show. Maybe Chase was trying to say that defenses can’t stop Joe Burrow directly, so they try to shut down his weapons instead. That’s one way to look at it, and the way Bengals fans likely will when trying to make a case for their quarterback. However, Joe Burrow is now ready to prove his own value on the field as he prepares for the Bengals’ first preseason matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles at 7:30 PM on Thursday, August 7, at Lincoln Financial Field. And for this, the quarterback recently shared some insights into his approach for the upcoming game. 

Joe Burrow reveals his mindset before facing the Eagles 

Here’s where things get interesting. For years, head coach Zac Taylor has kept Burrow out of preseason games, treating him like “precious cargo.” Not anymore. Taylor recently confirmed that Burrow will see real action in these exhibition games. And that is something fans haven’t seen much of in recent years. So why the sudden change?

After the latest practice, Joe Burrow explained the change in mindset. “Play it like a game… I’m sure we have a little different philosophy on how we’re gonna call it than a regular game, but you know, we’ll see when it gets here. I’m gonna go out and try to get that rhythm,” Burrow said. Sounds like a serious shift, doesn’t it? It was also earlier revealed that the Bengals will let Joe Burrow and other starters play multiple series. This strategy is aimed at one thing: fixing the Bengals’ tendency to start slow. 

In fact, Taylor said, “We don’t have this targeted for our biggest play time for all of our guys. We really picked Washington (on Aug. 18) to be able to do that. Another thing, I hate to put it in stone. A couple series. Several series. Several series is what we’ll give those starters.” No doubt, the HC seems to have a plan going in. He knows how many reps he wants from his starters, but he also left room to adjust. If the first drive ends up burning most of the opening quarter, he said he’d keep them out there into the second. It all came down to rhythm and how the game unfolds.

The Bengals have opened each of the last three seasons 0-2. And let’s be real, preseason reps could make all the difference. Across the league, most starters sit out preseason to avoid injury. But some argue that playing safe leads to rusty starts and more injuries. Anyone who’s played sports knows that the moment you start playing not to get hurt… that’s when you get hurt. But now the Bengals are not thinking like that.  

NFL insider Ian Rapoport summed it best: “New way of doing it, with eyes on starting fast.” Can this new approach help the Bengals finally avoid those early-season stumbles? With Joe Burrow healthy and preseason reps on the schedule, the Bengals might just be setting themselves up for their best season yet.