PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Having just finished games against Saquon Barkley, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, is their hardest superstar test yet this week?
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week going 39-49 for 412 yards and four touchdowns (one rushing) in a must-win, overtime victory against Denver.
It’s just another test for this defense having just gone through the gauntlet of a schedule like Philly, Baltimore and KC in 11 days. Now it’s Burrow
· 250 yards or more in 8 straight games
· 3 touchdowns or more in 8 straight games
· 27 touchdowns and 5 interceptions over those 8 games
· He leads the NFL in passing yards (4,641), touchdowns (42) and yards per game (290.1) with 8 INT
“He was on a heater when he played us,” said Steelers captain Cam Heyward. “It’s not like he didn’t score 30 points. I have a lot of respect for what they do on offense. They are able to get up and down the field. He’s feeding the two beasts in Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase. We got to force them into situations where they got to take risks or we can get turnovers or get sacks.”
MVP?
Burrow now is talked about nationally as a dark-horse candidate for consideration to be the NFL MVP to go with Bills QB Josh Allen (3,731 passing yards, 28 TD, 6 INT, 12 rushing touchdowns which are most by a QB in 2024 and top 10 in the NFL), Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (3,955 passing yards, 39 TD, 4 INT, leads NFL with 8.9 yards per attempt and 852 yards rushing) and Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (2,005 yards, 8th most in NFL history and 101 yards from breaking the all-time single-season record, 13 TD).
Burrow has willed a team with a struggling defense to still having a shot at the playoffs on the last week of the season. In Cincinnati’s 8 losses, 7 have been by one score including against the Chiefs, Washington, Baltimore (twice), Chargers and Steelers.
He also has not just one elite receiver, but two. Ja’Marr Chase has 75 yards or more in seven straight games including 264 and three touchdowns against Baltimore. Tee Higgins is coming off an 11-reception game with 131 yards and three touchdowns. Tight end Mike Gesicki had 10 receptions for 86 yards against Denver and the third receiver, Andrei Iosivas has 467 yards and six touchdowns.
This Steelers defense gave up 38 points to Burrow and the Bengals last time and over its last three games have allowed an average of 263 yards passing per game along with eight total touchdown passes.
Heyward said he will know if their team meetings and practices amounted to improved play Saturday night, where they will be tested again by one of the best in the game.