Peter King and Florio discuss Burrow and Bengals

[*SHRacerX*]

(10-04-2021, 05:24 PM)Stewy Wrote: Ok so I listened to all of that.  That is by far the most positivity I have ever heard coming from either of those guys about the Bengals.  They even had some love for ZT.

It's funny to me how many of the national (and local here in Houston) were so cool on Burrow.  I watched nearly every LSU game the year before we drafted him, just because they were so damn fun to watch.  But you could tell that Burrow had something.  It wasn't just the play calling, but something more.  And I never understood why guys I respects as sports analysts couldn't see it.  

Soon everyone will see it.

I don't know if it is because he is 24, which is old by a 2nd year player standpoint, but consider his career thus far:

In college, he sits for THREE YEARS, only to break his hand and lose the opportunity to start.

He transfers and takes over at LSU.  His first season is rocky, but he is trending way up by year's end.  The coaching staff realize they really have something and they want to unleash him more and give him a great offensive mind:  Enter Joe Brady.

He has the most prolific season in NCAA history and wins a National Championship.  Smokes cigar, iconic image.

Drafted #1 overall by the Bengals.   The world is 100% certain they will ruin him.  They almost do.  Covid eliminates preseason and a lot of in-person meetings.   He plays behind a horrible line and, although he shows flashes, is injured in his 10th start and misses the rest of the season.  

Fast forward to his second season (worked out pretty well at LSU) and in his last two starts, he beats pitt on the road, and leads an incredible comeback against Jax on National TV.  It was his 14th NFL start.  I am sure Mahommes did that in his 14th start, but he sat out a year and observed.  Josh Allen's rookie season he had a completion % of 52 and more INTs than TDs.  Kyler Murray will be a hot name after beating SF the other day (handily) and his rookie season had 64% completion % and 20 TDs with 12 INTs.  I won't even go in to this year's crop of rookies.

Joe is playing like a 5 year vet.  He has improved DRAMATICALLY each week.  His reads have sped up and his legs seem to be 100%.  I know it was just a turd steeler team and Jacksonville, but I can't wait to watch him next weekend.  He has made this team so much fun to watch. Yes, the defense has surely done their job and then some....but this guy, heading in to his 15h start, is simply incredible.  

I never thought he would be to this level this quickly coming off surgery.