The Cincinnati Bengals are out of the playoffs,  but quarterback Joe Burrow keeps raising his standards. He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 16 after a standout performance against the Miami Dolphins. He finished 25-of-32 passes with 78% accuracy. Additionally, he completed 300 yards along with four touchdowns, guiding his team to a convincing victory.

Joe Burrow commented on winning the honor while speaking to the media.

“Yeah, I played well, cool. I have done that a lot. It’s a good win,” said the 29-year-old, answering a reporter’s question during a press conference. Playing his 75th regular-season game, he grabbed the eighth AFC Offensive Player of the Week award of his career this Sunday.

Joe Burrow faced an early setback this season after a toe injury in Week 2. With a projected three-month recovery time, the quarterback wasn’t expected to return until December. However, a swift recovery made his comeback possible in late November against the Baltimore Ravens.

Burrow has featured in six games this season; four after returning from the injury. The Miami Dolphins game was statistically his best game out of six appearances this season, earning him the prestigious NFL honor.

The Bengals struggled in Joe Burrow’s absence

Joe Burrow’s impact in the Bengals lineup showed when he was sidelined from the team. The quarterback missed nine games due to injury. The Bengals, without the star player, lost eight of the nine games. On the other hand, the team won four of six games featuring Burrow, registering an impressive 66% winning rate. The numbers prove he is the engine of Bengal’s offense.

In the absence of Burrow, the Bengals’ running game was disappointing, pushing their NFL rushing yards per game to the bottom half of the table. The team missed the elite QB’s precise throws, sharp decision-making ability, and exceptional pocket awareness.

The backup quarterback, Jake Browning, who initially replaced injured Burrow, came up short as the offense faced difficulty with turnovers. His subpar performance drew criticism after eight interceptions in five games. Browning accumulated three interceptions against the Detroit Lions alone. The Bengals’ offense crumbled against the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos, suffering heavy defeats and scoring a cumulative 13 points in two games.

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