Joe Burrow is making the MVP conversation look less like a debate and more like a sprint he’s currently winning.
That’s the view from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who put the Bengals quarterback at No. 1 in his November NFL awards predictions after another blistering stretch from Cincinnati’s offense. Barnwell called Burrow “the best pure passer in football right now,” and said that while Trevor Lawrence and Brock Purdy have the advantage of strong run games, Burrow has had to do much more of the heavy lifting without one.
“1. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals...
He’s the best pure passer in football right now, and though Lawrence and Purdy both benefit from effective run games, Burrow has mostly had to operate without an effective run game this season,” Barnwell writes. “It’s a very close race, but for now, I have Burrow just ahead of the pack for MVP.”
The timing makes sense. Heading into Week 10, there may not be a hotter offense in the NFL than Cincinnati’s.
Burrow’s chemistry with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins has reached another level, and the Bengals look as dangerous as anyone on that side of the ball. They do have a tough matchup coming against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, but confidence around Burrow is obviously high.
The numbers back up the buzz. Through Week 9, including Cincinnati’s Week 6 bye, Burrow ranks second in the NFL with 2,386 passing yards and leads the league with 23 touchdown passes.
His 79.5 QBR is second-best in football, and his 74.0% completion rate is elite. The one blemish is six interceptions.
Even with those picks, Burrow’s season is strong enough to put him at the front of the MVP pack. His 114.8 passer rating is a career high, and he’s on pace to set a new personal best in passing yards too.
With the Bengals leaning so heavily on the passing game because of their poor running attack, Burrow has had plenty on his shoulders. So far, he’s handled it better than ever. If he keeps this pace going, the MVP race may not stay close for long.
In Other News...
Bengals May Have Found A Late-Season Edge At The Perfect Time
The Bengals trip to Madrid seems to have landed at exactly the right moment, giving a late-season team that was already rolling a little extra fuel. Players and people around the organization have pointed to the international visit as a boost for bonding and chemistry, the kind of reset that can matter when a locker room is trying to carry momentum into the stretch run. With Cincinnati on a four-game winning streak, the timing could hardly be better as the focus shifts to a key meeting with the Steelers.
There is also a broader backdrop here that makes the moment feel bigger than one road trip. The Bengals have dealt with some external noise around front-office decision-making, including criticism tied to compensatory picks, while a called-off trade involving Arnold Ebiketie added another layer to the conversation. For a team trying to sharpen its edge in December, the question now is whether the chemistry from Madrid can translate into something more tangible when the games get tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Have A Huge Chance Sunday Night But One Test Looms
Sunday night gives Cincinnati a chance to change the feel of its season in one swing, and the setup is about as good as it gets for a November spotlight game. The Bengals have looked more dangerous on offense since their Week 3 meeting with Pittsburgh, with the quarterback-wide receiver trio giving them a much steadier ceiling, while the defensive line has been better equipped to affect the game at the point of attack.
Still, the matchup is not without a real stress point. The Steelers can make life uncomfortable if Cincinnatis secondary is exposed, and that is the one area that could decide whether this becomes a statement win or just another missed opportunity in a crowded playoff race. With national TV attention and postseason positioning on the line, the Bengals know this is the kind of test that can sharpen the picture of where they really stand. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Are Staring At A Steelers Mismatch They Know Too Well
The Bengals are heading into another divisional meeting with a familiar problem to sort out, and it starts with how Pittsburgh plans to use Darnell Washington. Steelers offensive coordinator Brian Angelicho recently talked up the tight ends role, pointing to the matchup edges Washington brings with his size, strength and value in both the passing game and the run game.
For Cincinnati, the concern is less about one isolated player and more about a season-long issue that has shown up against tight ends. Washington has already emerged as a key part of the Steelers passing attack, and Pittsburgh media expect him to keep having an impact in this one, which leaves the Bengals facing a test they have not handled especially well so far. [Read more 🡒]