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Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals have taken first place in the AFC North away from the Baltimore Ravens. Although Burrow played a mediocre game to clinch the lead — throwing for just 157 yards and one touchdown against the Denver Broncos — he did enough to get the win.
Just a season removed from using the first overall pick to draft Burrow, the Bengals have become a tough team and are in a great position to make the playoffs with just three games left to play. One of those games, though, is against the Ravens. Cincinnati beat them 41-17 earlier in the season but they are still a talented team.
Rather than start celebrating the new spot atop the division, Burrow kept it cool in the post-game press conference.
Joe Burrow: "We still got two more division games left that are really going to decide the fate of the division. We know what kind of team Baltimore is."
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) December 20, 2021
Bengals QB Joe Burrow on the Bengals holding a share of the lead for the AFC North: "It doesn't mean anything right now."
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) December 20, 2021
Although he wasn't totally emotionless after the victory, Burrow opting to lay low was a smart move. The last thing a team like the Bengals want to do is give their rival any material to use as motivation. The Bengals are rediscovering winning, as they haven't won eight games in a season since 2015. They ought to take it one game at a time, which is what Burrow seems to be doing.
A solid season from Burrow and excellent seasons from Joe Mixon and Ja'Marr Chase have elevated the Bengals into a strong offensive unit. Although they haven't yet clinched a playoff berth, this season is a terrific sign of things to come.
Kick-off against Baltimore is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EST.
