The Bengals held on against the Giants to get that W in the bag. Taking their start to 2-4. They are getting there, sure, it’s slow and steady. But they are getting there. (We hope we don’t jinx them). Two wins in the last three games, after a three-game losing streak, is a decent momentum shift. But not good enough to get through the postseason, and as the team’s talisman, Joe Burrow knows it.

In the post-game presser, Burrow didn’t sugarcoat anything. He laid it out there: “I felt like I let the pressure get to me a little bit. I was able to settle down there in the second half and kind of find a rhythm, but the first half I didn’t feel like I was in rhythm at all.” He basically said: Yeah, I had a rough start. But watch me turn this ship around!

He also gave a shout-out to his defense, who totally had his back when things got tough. Burrow said, “Ugly. Really ugly. But we got it done. [There’s] a lot to fix on offense. [The] defense played great… They stepped up big time.” Let’s be real: a win is a win, even if it wasn’t the prettiest picture in the gallery.

Speaking of stepping up, Burrow’s 47-yard dash to the end zone was the highlight of the night. That was the longest touchdown run by a quarterback in the Bengals’ history! Four rushes on Sunday, but that 47-yarder set the tone for the game.

But let’s not gloss over the rest of the game. Burrow completed 19 of 28 passes for 208 yards but no touchdowns. Still, he kept it clean—no turnovers! It wasn’t until the second half that he started looking like the Burrow we know and love, finding his groove and letting it fly.

And that’s where the defense really shone. They knew JB was having a bit of an off day under center, so they took charge. Bengals LB Germaine Pratt picked off Giants QB Daniel Jones in the red zone, while defensive end Trey Hendrickson brought the heat, sacking Jones twice. Talk about a team effort!

Why the hype? You may ask. Let’s put this in perspective: Cincy had allowed at least 24 points in four straight games (including 41 against Baltimore and 38 against Washington, yikes!). But Sunday night? They showed up and delivered their best performance of the season, allowing just seven points. If they keep this up, who knows? The postseason might not be as far-fetched as it seemed!

Joe Burrow: The underrated 2024 MVP contender, already!

Up next, they face the Browns. On paper, it’s Cincy’s game to lose. The Dawg Pound has expressed frustration with their team’s 1-5 start. Now, compare that to the Bengals 2-4. Both records are dull. But at least the Bengals have a positive point differential and the ingredients to be a team that gets hot in the second half of the season. Also, the Who Dey has a quarterback in Joe Burrow who they can cheer for and can feel safe about. Unlike, ahem, Deshaun Watson. But you know what? It’s almost disrespectful how under the radar Burrow is going.

Speaking of Burrow, let’s break down his performance. Despite the noise from an underachieving defense, he’s putting up numbers that scream “MVP!” He currently ranks No. 1 in traditional quarterback rating at 110.3, is tied for second with 12 touchdown passes, and sits fifth in passing yards with 1,578. And get this: he’s only thrown two interceptions all season. Not too shabby, right?

Sure, his night against the Giants wasn’t really his best—he completed 19 of 28 passes for 208 yards without a touchdown—but that’s what it is. He has set the standards quite high. A game that might seem decent for others is his bad night.

Let’s not forget how far Burrow has come. After a torn ACL cut his rookie season short, he bounced back to lead the Bengals to Super Bowl 56, earning that Comeback Player of the Year title. Now, he’s pacing for career highs in completion percentage and efficiency, eyeing a potential 4,658 yards and 40+ touchdowns this season.

Those are some serious MVP-caliber numbers, not what you’d expect from a team with a .200 winning percentage. Sure, reaching those maybe numbers comes with a lot of hurdles. But it’s about time the experts and critics give him the due credit.