When Andrew Whitworth was the Ruler of the Jungle in Week 7, when the Bengals beat the Steelers, it was sort of like a reunion between him and Bengals’ fans. That relationship was interesting to follow over the years, and it’s great to see that it’s now very much positive.
Whitworth has always had great respect for Joe Burrow, and he was also praising of the Bengals when they traded for Joe Flacco in mid-October.
With Burrow returning Thanksgiving Night at Baltimore, Whitworth was interviewed on the Up & Adams show with Kay Adams, a noted Bengals fan, and had some interesting insight into Burrow’s return.
“I don’t mean this from an age standpoint, but like, look at some of your true pocket passers that still play in the game right now,” Whitworth said. “I always say I would love to see Joe lean more into what Matthew Stafford does when plays are broken down, or plays aren’t there, you just get rid of the ball. Just get the ball out. Let’s move to the next down. And I’m not saying that you’re giving up on plays, but you’re trusting like ‘I have the capability mentally, how sharp of a passer, how accurate I am, what I can do with the football in my hands, and read defenses, to get the football to my guys. I can trust that I can give this down up and (move) onto the next down. I’ll prove to you that I can make up for it.”
Look, one of the things we all love about Joe Burrow is his ability to make plays off script by moving outside the pocket. If you watch his highlight reel, there’s a good chance most of the plays you’ll see came from him improvising and making absurd plays and throws.
But Whitworth has a point. Sometimes, a check down or even an incompletion is just as good as the absurd plays Burrow has become known for.
Against the Ravens, Burrow will be facing one of the better defenses in the NFL. It’s a defense he has carved up on four different occasions in his career. Burrow has three games with 400+ passing yards against the Ravens, including 525 yards in Week 16 of the 2021 Season.
Last season, Burrow threw for a combined 820 yards and nine touchdowns in two games against the Ravens. Ja’Marr Chase caught five of those touchdowns, including three in the second half of Thursday Night Football in Week 10. Burrow threw for 428 yards and five touchdowns in that game.
Even at 3-8, knowing Joe Burrow is playing Thanksgiving Night is something that Bengals’ fans can get excited about.
You can watch the full segment on Joe Burrow with Kay Adams and Andrew Whitworth here:
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