clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Joe Burrow speaks the truth

“We beat, in my opinion, the second-best team in the AFC, twice, in January.”

Syndication: The Enquirer Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs twice.

The Chiefs were widely considered the best team in the NFL, having won the AFC Championship game in two straight seasons. Holding a 21-3 lead and looking to make it 28-10 on the one-yard line prior to the half, the Chiefs looked in full control.

However, history repeated itself, and the Bengals made a wild second-half comeback, beating the Chiefs 27-24. Just because they took down the Chiefs in Arrowhead doesn't mean they were going to be crowned Super Bowl favorites.

While going to Los Angeles and playing at SoFi Stadium, the home of the Rams, certainly hurts their odds, the Bengals opened up as 3.5-point underdogs with that having already been upped to 4.5 in some books.

So, to be clear, they are underdogs once again.

Don’t tell quarterback phenom Joe Burrow that though.

“We beat, in my opinion, the second-best team in the AFC, twice, in January. I think if we didn’t prove it today, I don’t know how else you prove it,” Burrow said on the sideline following the Bengals victory.

Burrow was questioned about being underdogs to Kansas City after beating the Titans, and he’s still answering the same question. Now, the Bengals' resume speaks for themselves. With one more win, that question will be finally answered once and for all.

As for Cincinnati, they’ve already far surpassed expectations which is a bonus, but the job is not quite done. Burrow has one more defense to shred in his route to a Super Bowl ring in just his second season.

Burrow didn’t have the game of his life against the Chiefs, but he did make timely plays that ultimately results in the Bengals forcing overtime. The Bengals have beaten the AFC’s No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, both on the road.

Burrow and company can’t do much more to make fans and analysts believe this team is the real deal.