No team in the entire AFC has a better record than the Cincinnati Bengals, yet quarterback Joe Burrow’s franchise flies under the radar for many. What makes the team so strong?

Munich – Cincinnati Bengals fans have certainly not been spoiled in recent years. Especially in the past two seasons, being a fan of the NFL franchise was no real joy.

In 2019, the team managed just two meagre victories in the regular season, in 2020 it was four. They could only dream of a play-off participation like the last time in 2015. But this year everything is different.

After the sixth matchday, the team already had the four wins from last year on its account, and after week 7 it is already five. With a record of 5-2, quarterback Joe Burrow’s team is at the top of the AFC North – together with the Baltimore Ravens. No team in the entire AFC has more victories.

No team in the AFC better than the Bengals

However, many still don’t seem to have the franchise on their radar. When asked about possible playoff contenders or even Super Bowl favourites, Cincinnati is rarely mentioned. Wrongly so.

After the unfortunate overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 5, when both kickers failed to perform on multiple occasions, the Baltimore Ravens were considered THE barometer last weekend. A challenge the squad met with flying colours.

Lamar Jackson and Co. were humbled 41-17, with Burrow and his teammates putting in a glorious performance.

Quarterback Burrow as strong as ever

But what makes the Bengals so strong?

For one, there’s quarterback Joe Burrow. He came to Cincinnati as the No. 1 pick last year after a miserable 2019 season. While he couldn’t adequately help in his first year due to injury, he’s been all over the place this season.

Against the Ravens, he threw for 416 yards – the most ever in his career. With his 23 throws he also managed three touchdown passes with one interception. After the game, Giants legend and NFL analyst Phil Simms even compared him to quarterback legend Joe Montana. “Let’s relax. Let me be myself,” the signal caller responded when asked about the comparison.

Of course, a successful game also requires powerful offensive players. He has found his current best in Ja’Marr Chase. Whereby “found” is not the right term at this point. The signal caller and his rookie receiver already knew each other, and quite well.

Connection between Burrow and Chase

Both played together for Louisiana State University. In 2019, when Burrow threw a whopping 60 touchdown passes for LSU, Chase was his favorite kickoff target. The NFL rookie caught a touchdown pass 20 times at the time, totaling 84 catches for 1,780 yards.

It’s hardly surprising that the Bengals admitted shortly after the draft that they drafted Chase because he and the Heisman Trophy winner had already worked well together in college. The excellent connection between the two, which was noticeable after only a short time, can also be proven in numbers.

754 receiving yards in the first seven games of the season – never before has a rookie achieved more. Added to that are an impressive six touchdowns. The stats alone, however, are not all that his teammates appreciate so much about Chase.

Chase impresses with selfless nature

In the Week 6 game against the Detroit Lions, he made an impressive block as running back Joe Mixon rushed into the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown after a catch.

After the game, Mixon left no doubt who he had to thank for his success. “That’s his touchdown. That wasn’t mine. He put up a heck of a block. He threw one to the ground there. I just finished the action,” he explained when speaking to US reporters.

“That’s the definition of this team – selflessness,” linebacker Logan Wilson also signed off on the players’ cohesiveness. Head coach Zac Taylor also joined in the same praise. He said of his receiving corps, “They’re selfless. They care about their teammates. And I could see in Ja’Marr’s eyes how happy he was about Joe Mixon’s touchdown. And having guys with that kind of attitude is going to take us a long way. “

Head Coach Taylor under pressure

But the fact that Taylor has these “guys” on his team certainly adds pressure. After two extremely unsuccessful years, the head coach is under scrutiny in his third season, something Bengals owner Mike Brown made clear at a media day in July.

“He’s had a couple of years to find his feet and establish himself. We have a team that’s three-quarters his players and new players that have come in since he’s been here. It’s his team now. “

And this one he seems to be getting better and better at. “We get to improve and build our team, and we just have a different mentality now,” Taylor noted after the win against the Ravens. He is far from getting cocky about it, though. “We have no right to get complacent,” the head coach immediately clarifies. “There are so many things we can’t let slide. “

Playoffs the Bengals’ goal

Exemplary of this is the Bengals’ running game, which has improved significantly since last season. With Joe Mixon, the team has a player who not only contributes his skills in the pure run game, but now even as a receiver and in pass protection.

For coach Zac Taylor, the first successful year since he took over is a real joy. He explained that it is fun to be in the locker room after victories. However, he said, his team must continue to raise the level.

However, the 38-year-old does not expect real fun at the moment. “The fun will come in January and February.”

So Bengals fans have something to look forward to.