Bengals QB Joe Burrow is “average” without two elite wide receivers

CINCINNATI — FS1 NFL analyst and former wide receiver James Jones believes Joe Burrow is an “average quarterback” without Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase and that he hasn't been good “in two years” after Cincinnati's loss to New England in Week 1.

Although Burrow averaged a modest 164 passing yards, he was one of the league's more efficient passers early in the season (11th in adjusted EPA/game in Week 1).

“Joe Burrow hasn't been good the last two years, man, and he hasn't been good since the beginning of this year,” Jones said on FS1's The Facility. “He was 5'11 last year and then he got hurt. Then they went 4-3 without Joe Burrow. Joe Burrow without a top wide receiver is average. That's what he is. But we keep living off his Super Bowl performance, not other stuff for other quarterbacks. Joe Burrow is not playing good football right now. He's not OK, and we keep putting him on the list and saying he's better than Josh Allen.”

Every season, it's a similar story: Burrow is healthy, the Bengals disappoint in the first few weeks, Burrow comes under pressure, they improve when the weather gets colder, and Burrow finishes the season with outstanding numbers.

Things might be different in 2024, but Burrow is adamant that he feels great and just played a sped-up game on Sunday, and history says No. 9 will do just fine.

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