You can have your own opinions about Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, but one thing I respect about him is his honesty. Tomlin is straightforward, unfiltered, and never hesitates to speak his mind. When he says something, there’s no need for a detector—he means it.
So when Tomlin praises Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, calling his play MVP-caliber, especially ahead of their matchup on Sunday, Bengals fans should definitely pay attention.
“If you look at the tape, he’s MVP-caliber in terms of what he’s doing for them,” Tomlin said this week.
Burrow has thrown 27 touchdown passes with just four interceptions this season, and Tomlin is no fool—he’s well aware of Burrow’s incredible performances against the Baltimore Ravens, where he threw for a combined 820 yards and nine touchdowns in two games.
“We’ve got to carry enough defense schematically,” Tomlin said of facing Burrow and the Bengals. “But within that, we better perform at a high enough level. You better do a lot of things.”
Burrow hasn’t faced the Steelers in over two years, missing both games last season due to a wrist injury. However, in 2022, Burrow threw for 338 and 355 yards in both matchups against Pittsburgh, including a 355-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 37-30 win without Ja’Marr Chase.
Burrow’s strong play in December is also well-documented. As Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison pointed out, Burrow has a remarkable 8-2 record in December, averaging 309.1 passing yards per game. With 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions, while completing 70.4% of his passes, Burrow has been exceptional when it matters most. Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, he leads the league in passing yards per game and completion percentage in December.
Now that December is here, it’s a crucial time for the Bengals. If Burrow continues his impressive December form, the Bengals will have a chance to win a high-stakes game and keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
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