After it was over, and one of the local Madrid reporters asked Joe Burrow if he had a message for the audience in Spanish, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback was finally stumped on Sunday.
asserted
quarterback → ask → Sunday
"I don't have anything for you," Burrow offered red-faced.
asserted
Burrow → have → you
No problem, because Burrow made a different kind of statement at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium: He put the NFL on notice he's the MVP favorite.
asserted
he → make → notice
Burrow threw three touchdown passes and ran for another touchdown in a convincing 34-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
asserted
Burrow → throw → Falcons
Burrow missed on only five passes while throwing for 271 yards.
asserted
Burrow → miss → yards
But context is everything and as this season goes, the context is much more impressive.
asserted
context → go → ?
He has accounted for 18 touchdowns in his last four games.
asserted
He → account → games
He's thrown for 1,215 yards in those four games.
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He → throw → games
His passer rating is 132.0 in those four combined games.
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rating → combine → games
"I loved putting on a show for the people of Spain and was happy to be here," Burrow said afterward in English.
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Burrow → love → English
The show in Spain is just one of 17 acts Burrow and the Bengals must perform this regular season and if one starts mathing what has happened with how that projects over a 17-game season, the MVP talk gets quite loud.
asserted
talk → perform → season
At his current eight-game pace, Burrow would project over 17 games to:
- 465-of-629 passing — 74.0%
- 5,070 passing yards.
- 49 passing touchdowns.
- 13 interceptions.
- 114.8 passer rating.
- 49 carries for 164 yards.
- 6 rushing touchdowns.
asserted
Burrow → project → yards
And, no, this is not a prediction of what is about to happen.
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what → happen → ?
The Bengals are about to find themselves in some very difficult matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs and probably the Carolina Panthers.
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Bengals → find → Steelers
But they've done some significant damage already this season and the passing attack that includes Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins is the most complete in the NFL.
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that → do → NFL
"We've just played together for so long now," Burrow said.
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Burrow → play → long
"We're coming up on 10 years playing together.
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We → come → years
So, you know, when you do that, you develop that connection mentally that nothing needs to be said.
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nothing → know → connection
This needs to be said: The only thing we believe can contain Burrow and that Cincinnati offense is an injury to the quarterback.
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offense → need → quarterback
We say this because that's what history has said unequivocally.
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history → say → what
That history is something Bengals fans hate to recall.
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fans → hate → ?
But it is there, including in two of the last three seasons.
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it → include → seasons
In Week 11 of his rookie season, Burrow’s knee buckled after he was hit while throwing against Washington.
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he → buckle → Washington
He underwent surgery and missed the final six games.
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He → undergo → games
A calf strain limited him during the early part of the season, but he did not miss a game.
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he → limit → game
In Week 11, he tore a ligament in his right wrist while throwing against Baltimore, required surgery and missed the final seven games.
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he → tear → games
Burrow injured his toe during a Week 2 win over Jacksonville, underwent surgery and missed nine games before returning late in the season.
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Burrow → injure → season
You can open your eyes again, Who Dey, folks.
asserted
You → open → eyes
None of this is meant to slime Burrow or predict something terrible.
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None → mean → something
It is, however, predicting that if Burrow can stay healthy, he's got that MVP award within reach.
asserted
he → predict → reach
That's how it definitely sounded after Sunday's dismantling of the Falcons' defense.
asserted
it → sound → defense
"We didn't score on every single possession," Burrow said.
asserted
Burrow → score → possession
The Aporia
