Bengals QB Joe Burrow Receives Hall of Fame Praise From Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo Ahead of Showdown With Patrick Mahomes: ‘I See a Young Tom Brady’
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has caught fire in his second year in the NFL. Now, Cincinnati is atop the AFC North for the time being after a four-touchdown performance from Burrow against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16.
Next up is a massive showdown with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo raved about the former LSU star ahead of the Week 17 matchup.
Joe Burrow destroyed the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16 and continues to impress
Burrow and the Bengals lit up the Ravens for the second time this season. Yes, the Baltimore defense is depleted, and both Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley missed the game.
Nonetheless, Burrow was sensational. He finished with 525 yards passing on a 37-of-46 clip with four scores and no interceptions as the Bengals cruised to a 41-21 lead.
This is just the latest masterpiece by the 2020 No. 1 overall draft choice who tore his ACL in his rookie year. On the year, Burrow has thrown for 4,165 yards with 30 touchdowns and 14 interceptions and has Cincinnati right on the brink of an AFC North title.
However, the Chiefs pose a severe threat, especially since Mahomes and company have shaken off their early-season struggles to win eight in a row and capture the AFC West crown once again.
Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo hits Joe Burrow with a massive compliment and compares him to Tom Brady
As good as Burrow was in his college days at LSU, he has been phenomenal in the early stages of his NFL career. He is easily one of the contenders for Comeback Player of the Year and has developed a terrific relationship with former LSU teammate JaMarr Chase.
Cincinnati hosts the Chiefs in Week 17, and Spagnuolo raved about the Bengals’ young signal-caller (h/t Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star).
“I see a young Tom Brady.”
Steve Spagnuolo on Joe Burrow
Whenever you are compared to Tom Brady, you’re doing something right. This is only Burrow’s second season in the league and the first entire season.
The same breath as Brady is something. The Kansas City DC has seen his fair share of Brady, including in the infamous New England Patriots loss to the New York Giants in the David Tyree catch game where Spagnuolo was the defensive coordinator for the Giants.
Spagnuolo wasn’t the only Chiefs personnel to speak about Burrow, either. After Mahomes and Kansas City defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16, the superstar knew Burrow’s colossal outing.
Burrow’s recognition is at an all-time high, especially after tearing apart the Ravens for the second time this season.
Can Joe Burrow lead the Bengals to a playoff spot and an AFC North title?
At the beginning of the year, the Bengals looked to be a tough bet to walk away with the AFC North crown. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC North in 2020 before losing to the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card round.
The Ravens looked dangerous at the beginning of the season before undergoing a rough stretch of games as of late. Now, the Bengals are in the driver’s seat to capture the AFC North crown — although that division is a mess.
The Chiefs-Bengals game looks to be one of the biggest of the weekend — if not the biggest. Mahomes vs. Burrow, Chase and Tee Higgins against Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce — what more could you want?
Sit back and watch the young Tom Brady go to work against Mahomes and the hottest team in football.
Stats Courtesy of Pro Football Reference
