The 9 greatest throws from Joe Burrow in 2021 season: Bengals Highlights

For all of the issues that Joe Burrow is recommended for, it looks like his means to throw the soccer will get misplaced within the fixed reward.

Severely, it is a bit odd.

Quarterbacks are the face of the group in additional methods than one. Their voice carries as a lot significance as their cap hits. They price upwards of three first-round picks to accumulate, and lots of of tens of millions in money to maintain round. When you realize you’ve got the precise one, he can alter the trajectory of a complete franchise by himself.

Burrow did simply that for the Bengals, and when he is the subject of dialogue, it is his intangibles, charisma, and style that leads the dialog. It is virtually uncommon these days to see Burrow discourse involving an important a part of his job description.

Whether or not he’s being pinned in opposition to fellow 2020 draftmate Justin Herbert or different gifted kids on the place, it’s the psychological features that often carry the argument for No. 9. I needed to remind people that the man can throw the pigskin spin as effectively.

For this record, I went by way of all the catalog of throws Burrow made final season (662 when you’re curious) and picked the most effective 9 out of all of them. There have been certainly honorable mentions, which I’ll most likely find yourself sharing on Twitter, however these 9 have been those I deemed most spectacular.

Not all of them have been massive performs, touchdowns, or traveled the furthest by way of the air, however every of them had a number of layers of issue hooked up to them. And whatever the finish consequence, they’re passes that make him top-of-the-line quarterbacks on the earth.

Week 3 @ Pittsburgh Steelers

2nd Q, 0:57, 2nd & 3, Ball on CIN 32

This isn’t a mistake, I did embody an incomplete move. I included two of them really! This one stood out the second the ball hit the bottom for me.

The 9-8-9 route combo was a preferred alternative for the offense final yr. Two go routes from the surface receivers sandwich a bang-8 route from the slot, which tries to separate the 2 deep safeties that look to smother the surface go routes. Burrow noticed this as quickly as he reached the highest of his drop and let it fly virtually totally off of his again foot, placing the onus totally on his hips and arm. The hit he endured as quickly as he launched warranted a roughing the passer flag.

Wouldn’t it have been a completion if it was positioned just a few inches nearer to Boyd? In all probability, however under-throwing Boyd right here would’ve allowed the trailing defender an opportunity on the ball. Giving Boyd house to reel it in with three defenders closing in on him gave him an opportunity, and he simply didn’t convey it right now.

This makes the record of the moment stress, reliance on arm and rotation, and fast decisiveness.

Week 6 @ Detroit Lions

2nd Q, 0:23, third & 10, Ball on CIN 39

Strain’s gonna be a central theme right here if you cannot already inform. Many a time did Burrow take 5-step drops out of shotgun to assist purchase time earlier than the opposing move rush and blitz would break freed from his safety. On this play, the pocket was collapsed proper when his 5 steps concluded. The ball’s gotta be out, why not look to Uno in opposition to Cowl 1?

Ja’Marr Chase hadn’t even stacked the nook when Burrow let it go amidst a number of Lions pass-rushers, however the placement with the security coming over high was completely elegant. Burrow’s comply with by way of was impeded with contact so this his decrease half was not a major contributor to the speed and distance. An ideal throw made beneath immense hardness.

Week 8 @ New York Jets

4th Q, 3:17, 2nd & 5, Ball on CIN 30

Upon the rewatch, I noticed that this one escaped my reminiscence banks. I believe most in Cincinnati have repressed this recreation a minimum of a bit, however this throw is unimaginable.

Jonah Williams and Joe Mixon are every overwhelmed inside and Burrow has to evade a muddied pocket. He scans from proper to left in opposition to a Jets secondary enjoying man, so he is aware of if he buys sufficient time, Boyd can leverage his defender to the within and get away with Burrow to the left. The way in which he resets his base after juking out the blitzer is high notch, and with a free runner in his face, Burrow steps into him whereas nonetheless leaning to his left earlier than Boyd is even out of his break.

Due to some tough estimates and the useful dandy Pythagorean Theorem, this ball traveled about 33 yards from Burrow to Boyd, and it hit him completely in stride. Severely underrated toss.

Week 13 vs. Los Angeles Chargers

4th Q, 15:00, 2nd & 7, Ball on CIN 46

Let’s fast-forward a number of weeks. The Bengals’ want to go empty needed to battle with the constraints of their o-line for all the season. This play exemplified the professionals and cons on either side of the talk.

In opposition to a run-of-the-mill four-man rush, Burrow remains to be met with an unopposed free rusher up the center attributable to a miscommunication between Hakeem Adeniji and Trey Hill. In empty, the ball ought to naturally be out rapidly, however you’d nonetheless like to have the ability to step into your throw. Burrow needed to expedite his movement earlier than getting clobbered upon his launch.

That is just one a part of how unimaginable this completion was. Not solely did Burrow need to three-quarters his movement right here, the precision to ensure that the ball to succeed in Boyd is excellent. Boyd is getting into a gentle spot within the Chargers’ secondary behind the MIKE — a matchup and spacing created by the 3X2 formation. The MIKE’s received his eyes on Burrow, however Boyd is intersecting with the playside security coming downhill to satisfy him on the catch-point.

Burrow has to lob this ball over the MIKE however put it behind Boyd so the security cannot make a play on it, which additionally protects Boyd upon affect. The throw was even tipped and it nonetheless discovered its method to No. 83. All after he received pummeled by a rusher coming straight at his face.

A wildly spectacular throw to say the least.

Week 14 vs. San Francisco 49ers

4th Q, 9:30, 4th & 5, Ball on SF 17

I imply, that is going within the all-time reel for Burrow proper? 20 years down the street we’ll nonetheless speak about this play.

As soon as extra, the o-line collapses in direction of the precise aspect thanks partially to a fake stress look from the 49ers. The visible of an NFL quarterback turning his complete physique behind the play on fourth down within the fourth quarter trailing by two touchdowns shouldn’t be a typical sight, and for Burrow, this maneuverability within the pocket simply wasn’t with him early on within the season when he was nonetheless getting snug together with his knee.

However within the blink of an eye fixed, LSU Burrow, or Burreaux, was again.

After spinning and scrambling to his proper, avoiding Kwon Alexander off of the sting, Burrow sprinted in direction of the sideline together with his eyes ultimately zone. He is aware of Chase’s nook route is not going to be open, so the LSU duo work off script. As Burrow continues rolling to his proper, Chase veers again left. The rookie receiver remains to be shifting in that course when Burrow lets it fly on the final attainable second.

To the utter confusion of the 49ers’ security, Burrow led Chase again to the precise together with his throw, leaving Chase vast open on the again millimeter of the tip zone.

This was caliber of playmaking means that Bengals followers anticipated from Burrow; to utilize the damaged play that only a few different quarterbacks may. This was the long-awaited true return of Joe Shiesty.

Week 16 vs. Baltimore Ravens

4th Q, 5:44, 2nd & 20, Ball on BAL 32

There have been 525 yards to choose from on this recreation, so I clearly went with one other incompletion. However that is extra Burrow magic and must be spotlighted.

Shock, shock! Strain from the precise destroys a wonderfully fantastic pocket and Burrow’s restored prowess comes again to the forefront. The slide up by way of the stress to resetting his toes permits him to reset his base earlier than he is compelled to scramble upfield. He is in a race in opposition to free rushers however he is additionally operating into the road of scrimmage. It is second-and-forever, so operating is not going to do a lot. Nobody is open for a mere mortal passer on this state of affairs.

Enter Boyd with no security overtop of him.

The required energy and contact combo for this move to land within the receiver’s arms is marvelous. Had it been positioned a bit additional, Boyd may doubtless make a extra appropriate over-the-shoulder seize, however contemplating the circumstances through which Burrow let it fly, that is nonetheless one of many higher throws of his season. The breakup job by Tony Jefferson was merely excellent. It is too unhealthy Baltimore could not do that the entire afternoon.

Wild Card Spherical Vs. Las Vegas Raiders

2nd Q, 5:10, 2nd & 11, Ball on CIN 31

Drew Brees stated it himself on the printed for NBC: There isn’t any protection for a wonderfully thrown move.

What a dagger this was. You’ll be able to really feel the oomph within the velocity from Burrow’s clear base and follow-through. Superb what a clear pocket can present, proper? The entire thing is straight out of educating tape.

However younger quarterbacks don’t usually suppose to focus on the seam when it’s fully coated. The one cheap method to get the ball to him is by lobbing it up deep, however the play-side security is eyeing the entire thing and he’ll cap the route. If this ball goes to finish up in Uzomah’s grasp, it must be an ideal line drive over the defender’s head.

And it was.

Wild Card Spherical Vs. Las Vegas Raiders

2nd Q, 2:00, third & 4, Ball on LV 10

To some, this play shall be linked to controversy and controversy solely. That is truthful when you’re a Raiders fan. The orange and black devoted know all too effectively what occurs on the opposite aspect of those whistles, whether or not they have been warranted or not.

Trying previous the whistle heard ‘around the world, the quarterback threw a landing whereas he was hovering over out of bounds. That is simply not widespread. And neither is Burrow’s means to maintain performs alive.

The escapability is not the spotlight right here, as he merely stepped up and rolled to his proper. Often the quarterback will throw the ball out of bounds as an alternative of throughout his physique. However with Boyd already within the nook of the tip zone upon the tip of his route, there’s a chance for Burrow to interrupt one of many cardinal guidelines of quarterbacking. Boyd is already shifting to his proper and Burrow sees it instantly.

The whistle ought to’ve by no means been blown, however let’s be actual, it did not cease the defender from making a play. He was already bamboozled out of his thoughts.

Tremendous Bowl LVI Vs. Los Angeles Rams

1st Q, 1:32, 1st & 10, Ball on CIN 43

It took a minute for the Bengals’ offense to get up within the Tremendous Bowl. This get up felt like a bucket of chilly ice being dropped on their head at 4:00 within the morning.

Seeing the secondary rotate to a single-high look, Burrow resorted to his go-to mindset: «Ja’Marr’s down there someplace!» Chase was certainly down there after he caught Jalen Ramsey slacking for only a second, and a second is all he wants. Whereas Chase had stacked the All-Professional cornerback, Ramsey was nonetheless close to his hip pocket. An under-thrown ball could’ve led to a contested scenario in opposition to a supremely gifted defensive again.

To be completely sincere, this can be a a lot better catch than it was a throw as Chase needed to attain out with one hand to safe it. Had it been half a foot shorter, Chase doubtless sprints into the tip zone, however the circumstances do a great job of enhancing it.

This was additionally the closest Aaron Donald had gotten to Burrow all the first half as the long run Corridor of Famer ended up proper in Burrow’s face as he let it fly. He knew Donald was coming, and he knew he couldn’t give Ramsey an opportunity on the ball. Two of the most effective defenders within the recreation tried to cease this play, and Burrow flung it 50 yards with full confidence within the greatest recreation conceivable.

That is Burrow in a nutshell.