The potential playoff group nobody needs to face

The potential playoff group nobody needs to face


• An MVP case regardless of a shaky file: As the Bengals combat for his or her playoff lives in Week 18, Joe Burrow will look to solidify his unlikely MVP candidacy.

• If the Bengals handle to clinch, be careful: Cincinnati has an out of doors shot to safe the No. 7 seed, and the Bengals’ latest kind ought to scare the Super Bowl hopefuls.

• 2025 NFL Draft season is right here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and find out about 2025’s high prospects whereas buying and selling and drafting to your favourite NFL group.

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Joe Burrow put up one other dominant efficiency for the Bengals, this time in a must-win Week 17 sport in opposition to the Broncos to maintain their playoff hopes alive. He has virtually singlehandedly — with the assistance of elite receivers — dragged the Bengals into postseason rivalry. Although Cincinnati’s playoff odds are quite slim at this level, Burrow has additionally constructed a respectable MVP case.

Highest-Graded Quarterbacks in 2024
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Burrow completed Week 17 with a 93.6 PFF general grade — the best single-game grade of his season and profession. He was practically flawless, with zero turnover-worthy performs, an 83.7% adjusted completion share and probably the most positively graded performs of any quarterback in Week 17.

It’s been quite apparent that the Bengals’ defensive struggles this season have put virtually all of the strain on Burrow and the Bengals’ offense. The offense, for probably the most half, has been as much as the problem. The unit ranks within the high 10 in EPA per play, successful-play share and scoring-drive share, regardless of having the fourth-worst group pass-blocking grade. Burrow has needed to be virtually good.

Because of the offensive line’s inconsistency, Burrow has typically handled pass-rushers bearing down on him. His 75.9 PFF general grade below strain ranks second amongst quarterbacks.

This play ultimately will get worn out due to an unlawful shift penalty, with the operating again and extensive receiver on the high of the display screen shifting on the similar time with out getting set. But, it exhibits what Burrow has to take care of on virtually each play. The Broncos present a heavy-pressure look however have virtually everybody drop out of it on the snap. They find yourself dashing solely three, however the Bengals can’t decide it up, leading to Burrow having to make a free pass-rusher miss. He does so after which flips his physique again round to make an correct throw to Andrei Iosivas sprinting over the center of the sector. It turns right into a landing that’s, sadly, known as again.

The deep ball has at all times been one in all Burrow’s greatest talents. His 92.5 PFF general grade on 20-plus-yard move makes an attempt is tied for the seventh-best mark this season, and out of doors of his rookie season, that grade has by no means been beneath 84.0.

This play finally ends up as a reasonably easy learn for Burrow, with the Broncos popping out in a two-deep shell. Burrow solely needs to be cautious to verify the deep security isn’t working excessive of Tee Higgins, lined up on the backside of the display screen. Considering the cornerback’s inside leverage, Burrow assumes that it’s straight man-to-man protection on Higgins. He confirms that post-snap after which throws an ideal ball within the again nook of the top zone for Higgins, who does an incredible job of utilizing “late palms,” a method to idiot defenders on the catch level, to stop a move breakup.

Burrow has confirmed to be a lethal pocket passer in his profession, however he has additionally continued to make performs on the transfer and out of construction. In addition to his robust under-pressure grade, his 75.9 mark when he’s been moved off his spot and out of the pocket this season ranks second within the NFL.

The Bengals run a “dagger” idea on this play, a two-man route idea with one receiver operating deep down the sector to tug the safeties and the opposite operating an in-breaking route behind it. It’s sometimes an extended growing play that stresses weak offensive strains. While the Broncos do not generate speedy strain, they’re nonetheless in a position to get to Burrow and transfer him out of the pocket earlier than the routes develop downfield. That doesn’t cease Burrow from persevering with to learn out the idea. He is aware of that when he scrambles, it is going to drag one of many beneath defenders out of his zone, giving him simply sufficient room to make a throw on the run. It leads to a big acquire — and an enormous fist pump from Burrow.

Burrow and Higgins have had an unreal rapport this season. But Higgins, whose contract expires on the finish of the season, can be a detrimental loss for this elite passing offense if he hits free company. Higgins’ 88.2 PFF general grade is the best of his profession, and it couldn’t have come at a greater time for him.

Late in additional time after the Bengals had seemingly received the sport twice already, Burrow and Higgins stepped up once more for the most important connection of the sport. The Broncos present a transparent man protection look pre-snap — a protection that Burrow and the Bengals dominate. Against Cover 1, Burrow owns a second-ranked 87.7 PFF general grade. The Broncos hope that the inside strain offered by the blitzing linebackers will get to Burrow, however the Bengals give him time to make the throw. And he finally ends up tossing an ideal ball to set the Bengals as much as win on the following play and hold their season alive.

Joe Burrow has achieved practically all he can to get the Bengals into the playoffs, and with one week left, they nonetheless want a win and a few assist to get in. Burrow won’t have the wins related to a typical MVP candidate, however by way of how useful a person participant is to a group, it’s onerous to discover a extra deserving participant.

If the Bengals can get into the playoffs, it might be onerous to argue in opposition to how useful Burrow is to Cincinnati. More importantly, Burrow and the Bengals would have a respectable shot at inflicting chaos within the playoffs as a No. 7 that no protection needs to face.