Joe Burrow has had a great season and is an MVP candidate. Although he is unlikely to win the award, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback has improved his stock in the league.
Patrick Mahomes isn’t having his best season, but he is still considered the best quarterback in the league. With the way Burrow has played, he has a legitimate claim to be the second-best quarterback in the NFL, but Emmanuel Acho has some reservations about it.
Emmanuel Acho Gets Candid on Joe Burrow’s Claim of Being NFL’s QB2
In a recent segment on “The Facility,” Acho talked about how Burrow cannot be the second-best quarterback in the NFL if his team fails to make the playoffs in two straight seasons. The Bengals are 8-8 heading into Week 18, and they could miss out on the postseason even if they win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in their last game.
“I can no longer keep claiming you’re [Burrow] the second-best quarterback in football. That’s long gone if you missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season,” said Acho. “You missed it last year; that could be a fluke. You missed it again this year — now it’s starting to look like a habit.”
The former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker also added that the playoff picture in the AFC is not going to get easier. He mentioned how the Buffalo Bills with Josh Allen are only going to get better after their transitional season where they lost key players in the offseason.
.@EmmanuelAcho isn’t being kind or graceful to Joe Burrow for missing the playoffs 😳
“I can no longer keep claiming you’re the 2nd best QB in the AFC if you miss the playoffs again.” pic.twitter.com/9boTobt4Bn
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) January 3, 2025
Acho also added that the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Pittsburgh Steelers will also remain in the mix.
He didn’t talk about the Baltimore Ravens, but everyone knows that they will be among the best teams in the NFL as long as Lamar Jackson is their quarterback.
“So, Joe Burrow, if you cannot make it now, it is only getting more difficult,” Acho added. “Furthermore, we already know you get hurt. In your rookie year, ACL; last year, injured. So, in his first four years, he got hurt twice.”
The Bengals’ star managed to stay healthy throughout this NFL season, but his team starting the campaign with four losses in the first five games will be the reason they miss the playoffs. The Week 1 loss against the New England Patriots was simply unacceptable, and Burrow didn’t play well in that matchup. He’d turn it around quickly, and sits No. 4 in PFN’s QB+ metric — ironically, sitting right behind Josh Allen in the rankings.
To make the playoffs this season, Cincinnati needs these results to go in its favor in Week 18:
- Win vs. the Steelers.
- Broncos lose to the Chiefs.
- Dolphins lose to the Jets.
The Broncos will be playing the Chiefs’ backups in Week 18, and they are expected to win that game. All signs point to the Bengals missing the playoffs again, and the franchise has to make some moves in the offseason.
A Look at Bengals’ Performances Since Drafting Burrow
The Bengals drafted Burrow with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and it was the right decision. The 28-year-old quarterback has completely changed the franchise, and the AFC North team will be considered a Super Bowl contender as long he is there.
Here’s how the Bengals have fared since drafting the former LSU star:
- 2020: 4-11
- 2021: 10-7 (Won AFC North and lost in the Super Bowl)
- 2022: 12-4 (Won AFC North and lost in the AFC Championship Game)
- 2023: 9-8
- 2024: 8-8 (Before Week 18)
Cincinnati has had success, but they need the consistency of the Bills and the Chiefs since drafting Allen and Mahomes.
The biggest issue for the Bengals has been how they always start the season slow and find themselves in a tough spot to make the playoffs. They were able to find their way in 2021 and 2022, but since their defense has been one of the worst in the league this season, even Burrow couldn’t overcome that.
Hopefully, the franchise will make the necessary decisions in the offseason to make things easier for their superstar quarterback.