CINCINNATI– bengals strategist Joe Terrier just smiled and had little to say after being told about collecting another record in his young career.
At Sunday 35-17 win on the Atlanta Falcons, Burrow became the first player in NFL history to have five games passing for 400 or more yards in the first three years of his career, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. He was 34 of 42 passes for 481 yards and three touchdowns, with much of that damage coming in the first half.
“When he gets into a rhythm, watch out,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “Because it’s hard to quit.”
Burrow previously held the record with Professional Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino. If Cincinnati had to be more aggressive, Burrow might have had a chance to break his franchise record of 525 passing yards, which he had in last year’s win over the Baltimore Ravens in week 16.
“I feel comfortable,” Burrow said after the game. “We are reducing the timing. We are starting to find a rhythm as an attack.”
Nearly three months removed from an emergency appendectomy before the start of training camp in July, Burrow dazzled in one of his best performances of the season. The Bengals torched a depleted Falcons secondary and scored touchdowns in their first four practices.
Bengals wide receivers Tyler Boyd and Ja’Marr Chase became the third duo in the past 15 years to each have 100 or more receiving yards in the first half.
During a first-half streak, Burrow had 17 consecutive assists, a streak that ended as the Bengals pushed for another touchdown before halftime. The 2020 first overall pick has also been effective on the pitch. He had two carries for 21 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Bengals wide receiver Higgins t-shirt came within 7 yards of joining Boyd and Chase with 100-yard games. Higgins said he knew it would be one of those days for Cincinnati’s star quarterback as soon as Burrow completed his first pass attempt, a quick 11-yard pass to Boyd.
“Joe Burrow was on point today,” Higgins said. “He was throwing points, pennies, whatever you call it. He felt it.”
Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said the team tried several different looks to piss off Burrow. The visitors tried to fake pressure looks to get rid of Burrow. But the third-year player consistently found weak points in defense to find finishes.
“[There is] no defense in the league, or whatever you do, that can stop what we have,” Boyd said. “We’ve got a great quarterback who can always make the right read every time and make our job easy.”
Boyd, who had a career-high 155 receiving yards, said even when the team struggled in an 0-2 start to the season, Burrow was playing well. Once the Bengals adjusted to how the defenses wanted to stop them and Burrow found his rhythm, it was going to be difficult for teams to limit Cincinnati’s offense.
After a rocky start to the season, the Bengals have had 65 points over the past two games and scored nine touchdowns over that span. Burrow accounted for eight of those scores.
Said Burrow: “I think we’re finding our rhythm.”