The Cincinnati Bengals won four games a season ago and were only projected to win 6.5 by NFL oddsmakers this season, so it’s easy to call them scrappy upstarts.
Joe Burrow stood at the press conference podium after Saturday’s 19-16 AFC Divisional Round win over the Tennessee Titans and was having none of it.
“I’m tired of the underdog narrative,” the Bengals’ second-year quarterback told the assembled reporters. “We’re a really, really good team, and we’re here to make noise. Teams are going to have to pay attention to us. We’re coming for it all.”
Joe Burrow is done with the "Why Not Us" moniker that had been following the team: "I'm tired of the underdog narrative. We're a really, really good team." #Bengals pic.twitter.com/u7nuXuczpn
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) January 23, 2022
Cincinnati may be a seven-point underdog against the powerhouse Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, but Burrow is not misguided.
Ever since the NFL instituted a rookie wage scale that curtailed the massive spending on draft picks, there has been a well-worn path to go from rags to riches in the NFL: find a star quarterback in the draft and then use the excess salary cap money to stack the roster around him.
The Bengals or Chiefs will make the Super Bowl, in large part because Burrow has a cap hit of $8.2 million and Mahomes $7.4 million this year.
It’s been a common theme, as here are all the teams who have made the Super Bowl or won it with starting quarterbacks earning below market value since the implementation of the slotted rookie system in 2011:
- 2020 Kansas City Chiefs (Mahomes)
- 2019 Chiefs (Mahomes)
- 2018 Los Angeles Rams (Jared Goff)
- 2017 Philadelphia Eagles (Carson Wentz)
- 2015 Carolina Panthers (Cam Newton)
- 2014 Seattle Seahawks (Russell Wilson)
- 2013 Seahawks (Wilson)
- 2012 Baltimore Ravens (Joe Flacco)
- 2012 San Francisco 49ers (Colin Kaepernick)
The Bengals did two things right, in addition to nailing the choice of Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in 2020: They found him weapons through the draft and added productive players in free agency.
Receiver Ja’Marr Chase, the No. 5 overall pick last April, had 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns during the regular season and had five catches for 109 yards against Tennessee, including the grab to set up Evan McPherson’s game-winning field goal.
Tee Higgins, who was the team’s second pick after Burrow in 2020, had 1,091 receiving yards this year and 96 in the Divisional Round. The Bengals’ offensive line struggled all season, but the combination of a great quarterback and elite playmakers was enough to overcome it.
This is what we thought the Bengals could do when they drafted Joe Burrow, but it’s still surreal they are playing in the AFC Championship in a few days. They aren’t ahead of schedule they are on time.
— Lindsay Patterson (@LndsPatterson) January 25, 2022
The Bengals’ defense underwent a nice turnaround this season, and it was led by free agent additions like nose tackle D.J. Reader, edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, slot cornerback Mike Hilton, safety Vonn Bell and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie.
Linebacker Logan Wilson, the third-rounder after Higgins in 2020, led the Bengals with 100 tackles and four interceptions this season, and had the pick of Ryan Tannehill to set up the game-winning drive against the Titans.
The selection of a star quarterback in the draft does not guarantee postseason success.
The Arizona Cardinals had a record of 10-2 at one point this season but were throttled in the wild card round, as they were not able to surround Kyler Murray with enough talent in Year 3 of his career.
After All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins went down, it became apparent that the roster was not flush enough with playmakers to withstand his absence. An above average offensive line would have made up for deficiency at the skill positions, but center Rodney Hudson was the only standout of that group in 2021.
The Cleveland Browns had the opposite problem. General Manager Andrew Berry stockpiled one of the deepest rosters in the NFL, but quarterback Baker Mayfield regressed from early-career inclinations of stardom and the team missed the playoffs.
The Bengals won 2 games two years ago and 4 games last year and now are in the AFC title game. It doesnt take 4 years to turn things around when you pick the right QB and surround him with some good pieces.
— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) January 23, 2022
Even though there are teams that have failed to capitalize on this setup, it’s the most foolproof way to contend beyond employing quarterbacks like Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady.
The Buffalo Bills were 13 seconds away from the AFC Championship Game because Josh Allen is an elite talent who had a cap hit of just $10.2 million this year. The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the best teams in the AFC the past few years because Lamar Jackson combines greatness with low cost.
So, yes, the Bengals are the underdogs this week against the high-flying Chiefs. But no matter what happens on Sunday, the future will be extremely bright because Burrow will be making a pittance compared to his true market value through 2023.
And when the draft comes around, a quarterback class that is currently deemed substandard will get combed through thoroughly, because there is no easier way to turn around a team’s fortunes than by finding the NFL’s next star signal-caller.
