"I'm Not Going To Accept Losing" Says Joe Burrow To Any Idiot Counting On A Bengals Super Bowl Hangover
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Joe Burrow held court with the media for the first time during the Cincinnati Bengals' offseason program, and did not disappoint in the slightest. But really, when does this dude actually ever miss when it comes to these settings?
Whether he's rocking some sick shades, studs or an ugly Christmas sweater, Joey Franchise knows how to game the media as well as he knows how to pick apart defenses on the gridiron.
I simply don't understand people who think Burrow is "mid" or an above-average QB or whatever. The fuck were you watching last year? This guy was the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, obliterated his knee as a rookie, returned for the start of his second season only to be the most-sacked quarterback in football and still willed the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance.
Now the team has a FAR better offensive line, and this marks Burrow's first actual offseason in the NFL. No pre-draft circus to prepare for. No extremely severe injury to rehab. Just getting down to work.
Speaking of that superior offensive line, if you're a Bengals fan with any sort of wherewithal or pulse, you watched the Super Bowl loss to the Rams. You saw the final play. Aaron Donald collapsed on Burrow in the pocket for the umpteenth time, and because Joey B. could barely move on a bum knee, he couldn't escape in time to get a throw off.
What many know about that fateful final down of Cincinnati's run to the Big Game was that Ja'Marr Chase streaked down the sideline and got wide-ass-open on Rams All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Burrow was unable to deliver the ball under duress for what would've been the Lombardi Trophy-winning TD and perhaps the most legendary play in Super Bowl history.
Check out what the fuck Burrow said about that today: HE AUDIBLED INTO Chase's go route.
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I assume Burrow was going to look off to his left, swing back around to the right and heave that ball up for Chase, who would've walked into the end zone since Ramsey fell down.
Whatever you want to say about the bullshit that was Tee Higgins ripping Ramsey's facemask on that just-after-halftime long TD and how the failed connection with Chase was penance for that is irrelevant to the point I'm making here. Burrow has played one full season in the NFL and is already playing 3D Schematic Chess while other young QBs can't even make basic checks at the line of scrimmage or go past one progression in the pocket.
Burrow also said he may not wear a knee brace during games and was seen practicing without one on Tuesday. If there were any lingering concerns about his health, pretty sure those can be put to rest now.
A little off-topic, but whatever possesses Ohios Taint to cape oh-so-creepily hard for Deshaun Watson this early in the proceedings and to bash Joe Burrow in the same breath is beyond me. I'll keep on keeping on with the Bengals' Unproblematic Tiger King. We'll see what happens on Halloween Night indeed — if Watson can even play. I mean hey, might as well get some of those AFC North trash talking juices flowing early.
Football season can't get here fast enough. I don't think people are prepared for how dialed-in, revenge-minded, well-rested, better-protected, more experienced and ultimately improved Joe Burrow is about to be in 2022. Say the AFC is stacked all you want. Gas up Deshaun and his dubious playing status for the Browns. Talk all your shit about a Ravens resurgence. Knock yourself out saying the Steelers are returning to glory with Kenny Pickett or Mitch Trubisky under center. Regale me with how incredible the AFC West will be. Throw every conceivable stat in my face about how the loser of the Super Bowl sucks the next season almost without fail.
Jessie Bates III may have an uncertain future, there may be a "target on the back" of Cincinnati as the defending conference champions and everything I cited in the paragraph above may have some form of validity. But guess what? The Bengals have Joey Fucking Burrow. Doubt him at your own peril.
Full presser here: