Why Joe Burrow will be a Game Changer for the Bengals

It is no secret Joe Burrow had a breakout season for LSU last year. Heck, he probably had the best college season ever. He threw for over 5600 yards and 60 touchdowns while winning a National Championship leading one of the best teams of all time. Despite that, there some doubts about Burrow. Does he have a strong enough arm? Was last season a fluke? Will he crumble in Cincinnati? Here are three reasons why Burrow will change the fortunes of the Cincinnati Bengals organization

1 | Culture Changer

Yes, Joe Burrow had a ton of talent around him. But hasn’t LSU always had talent? What made this year different? It was because hey had the tremendous leadership at the quarterback position. Burrow was a worker, he led volunteer practices, he helped implement the expectation to win a championship despite that not being something LSU has done. Regardless of situation, there was still the expectation that LSU would somehow get it done because everybody believed that Joe Burrow would find a way.

Joe Burrow is going to come in to Cincinnati and hold himself, his teammates, and even his management accountable because of his determination to win ball games. Burrow’s alpha mindset plus his ability to elevate and rally a team separates himself from your ordinary franchise quarterback. Bengals fans should be optimistic about the Joe Burrow era.

2 | Instincts under pressure

How many times did we see Joe Burrow miraculously make something out of nothing? This is because of his special pocket awareness which allowed himself to get extra time to make big plays. LSU had a really talented offensive line but the pass protection was not ideal, Burrow was pressured on over 31% of his passing plays which was 8% higher than Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa. This didn’t bug Burrow one bit as he was incredibly efficient under pressure throwing for 15 touchdowns on 69% with a 146.5 passer rating which was the best mark in the nation. He also has underrated athleticism which helped him run for some yards as he ran for over 350 yards and 5 touchdowns last season. Burrow showed the special ability to avoid contact and extend plays similar to a Fran Tarkenton… back in the day. Cincinnati surely has some work to do on that offensive line but having a quarterback that can avoid contact and make plays under pressure will make a big difference for that offense immediately.

3 | Accuracy

There doesn’t need to be much explaining to do for this one. Burrow completed over 76% of his passes! He can make any throw in the book and is tremendous at throwing the ball in tight windows. There have been some concerns about his arm strength but that isn’t a liability at all. He can throw a ball far enough to make all the throws you need. Plus, since when was a big arm required to be a great quarterback? Last time I checked… Tom Brady didn’t have the biggest arm, neither did Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, or Joe Montana; so why is arm strength suddenly a big deal? Joe Burrow is going to be one of the more accurate quarterbacks in the league right out of the gate.

Conclusion

Joe Burrow is an incredible prospect. He checks all the boxes… leadership, intangibles, instincts, mobility, and accuracy. These traits will allow him to be very successful in the NFL regardless of where he is… even in Cincinnati. We have seen quarterbacks like Peyton Manning go to dysfunctional organizations and make them a winner, why can’t Joe Burrow?