Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals have had a season to forget. They are still mathematically alive to make the playoffs, but they need a lot of luck to save their season.
The Bengals are 7-8, and their defense has let them down throughout the season. However, Burrow is having a sensational season on a personal level. If his team’s record was better, the former LSU star would have been an MVP candidate.
Since his team is close to missing the playoffs, Chris Broussard has let Burrow off his list of quarterbacks in the AFC who should make the Super Bowl.
Chris Broussard Gives Reasoning for Joe Burrow Snub
In a recent segment on “First Things First,” the Fox Sports analyst detailed why the Bengals star should not be a Pro Bowler this year.
“My picks would be: the starter – Lamar Jackson; second – Josh Allen; and third – Patrick Mahomes got it with the 15 wins,” said Broussard. “I mean, Joe Burrow doesn’t even have a winning record and look, you’re nitpicking when you talk about these guys being so great. Here’s the biggest nit that all of them have to pick: It’s just one game, but Joe Burrow losing to the Patriots and throwing no touchdowns could cost them the playoffs. I can’t find a nit like that on anybody else.”
Nick Wright reminded Broussard of the Baltimore Ravens’ loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, which should have a similar impact on Jackson’s case for the Pro Bowl.
“Yeah, but it didn’t cost them [Ravens] the playoffs,” replied Broussard. “Lamar had a bad defense for most of the Season too. So, Burrow would be the odd man out for me”
Allen and Jackson are MVP candidates, while Mahomes’ team has the best record in the NFL. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback doesn’t have the numbers like Burrow, but that’s largely because the majority of his supporting cast has been out for most of the season.
Broussard’s reason for snubbing Burrow is quite valid, but it still feels unfair that the Bengals quarterback might miss out on all the accolades despite having the best season of his career.
Based on how the teams have played this year, either the Chiefs, Ravens, or Bills should represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. As a result, Burrow could still make it to the Pro Bowl as a replacement for either Mahomes, Jackson, or Allen, who will not be available if they win the AFC.
Comparing Burrow’s Stats With Top AFC QBs
Here’s a detailed comparison of Burrow with Mahomes, Allen, and Jackson in major stats for the quarterbacks this season:
| Category | Joe Burrow | Patrick Mahomes | Josh Allen | Lamar Jackson |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 281.9 | 245.5 | 236.6 | 247.2 |
| Completion Percentage | 68.9% | 67.5% | 63.8% | 67.9% |
| Passer Rating | 108.5 | 93.5 | 101.2 | 121.6 |
| Total Passing TDs | 39 | 26 | 26 | 39 |
| Total Rushing TDs | 1 | 2 | 11 | 4 |
| Interceptions | 8 | 11 | 6 | 4 |
Burrow’s passing numbers are better than every other top quarterback in the AFC, but it’s also because of how poor his team’s defense has been. These are the Bengals’ defense ranking in major categories in comparison to the rest of the league:
- Total yards allowed per game – 28th (359.9 yards per game)
- Passing yards allowed per game – 26th (231.6 yards per game)
- Rushing yards allowed per game – 21st (128.3 yards per game)
- Points allowed per game – 28th (26.2 points per game)
Burrow has had to play like a superman in every game to give his team a chance of winning. In comparison, Allen and Mahomes have had a little luxury in playing like game managers and stepping up only in big moments to win their team games. Jackson’s team has also had poor defense for most of the season, but they have played much better in the last few weeks.
In a conference like the AFC, which is stacked with elite quarterbacks, some deserving players will miss out on Pro Bowl selections every year. It might be Burrow this season, and in 2025, it could be either one of the three deserving ones who’ll get selected this year.
The Bengals organization should learn from this season and build a better team around their star quarterback. If they fail to do so, then the brilliance of their star players, like Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Trey Hendrickson, will continue to be wasteful.