The Cincinnati Bengals lost a lot during the first year of the Joe Burrow-Zac Taylor tandem. It was a brutal time for the franchise despite adding Burrow, who was the top overall pick in the 2020 draft. A year after finishing last in the AFC North, the Bengals took the division title and are set to face the AFC's greatest powerhouse, Kansas City Chiefs, with a ticket to the Super Bowl on the line.

Year two of Burrow and Taylor's partnership has been more successful than anyone thought it would be. Jay Morrison of The Athletic shows how crazy the turnaround has been in Cincinnati, revealing that the Bengals accomplished something only done once before in NFL history.

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With a 12-13-1 record through his second year, Burrow has proven to be a franchise quarterback. Taylor began in the 2019 season, enduring two losing seasons before the AFC North title. His record at 16-32-1 shows the very rare instance of a coach with two awful seasons in a row putting everything together to build a good team.

Cincinnati will have to fire on all cylinders to get past the Chiefs, who have made it to the last two Super Bowls. Even if they lose, the Bengals' rebuild is way ahead of schedule. Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase have a beautiful connection and the team should be a hotspot for free agents.

Last season, Taylor pinpointed a brutal time for the Bengals as a point to remember for when they figured it out. Just the very next season, they figured out a lot. They are set up to be a good team for the foreseeable future thanks to their star quarterback and resilient head coach.