With Compliments To The Defense, Joe Burrow’s Bengals Offense Unveils Another Clinic Of Versatility

Using Chase Brown as a receiver is rubbing it into defenses already immersed in stopping Chase, Higgins, and Gesicki.

“It really provides us a lot of versatility. We’ve been able to put two backs on the field, because we feel good about Samaje and obviously feel good about Chase,” Burrow said. “It provides challenges for the defense, how they’re going to take that, how they’re going to play that with their personnel, what coverages they’re going to play with that, because if I was a defense, I wouldn’t feel great about a linebacker covering Chase in space.”

Indeed, Brown undressed one of the best in Jordyn Brooks on a hellacious inside spin when he caught one at the 5 and left him for a touchdown.

But it was Sample’s longest play of the season that may have made it all possible. His 27-yard chug set up the 17-14 halftime lead. Late in the first half and trailing, 14-10, Burrow had a third-and-10 from the Dolphins 38.

“They had a tough time containing Drew today,” Taylor joked of one of his main men in pass protection rarely with a catch. But when he does …

“He’s in there in protection and has a great feel,” Taylor said. “Very similar to the Buffalo touchdown he scored a couple of years ago, the same protection. He has this awareness where Joe needs my help right now, I’m out of protection world, and I’ve got to find a way.”

Burrow had Perine next to him and Sample set in front to the left to block. When the thing broke down, Burrow somehow avoided Zach Sieler racing out of the pocket to the right circa 2024.

Somehow, Sample was there. Somehow, Burrow found him with something between a shot put and a layup. And, yes, dumped it across his body.

“I got caught up in all the bodies,” Sample said. “I could feel Joe moving, so I just kind of tried to get out of the way to where my check down is, knowing there’s supposed to be a man on me.

“He kind of got lost too, and right when I turned around, Joe kind of peeled back towards me and I said, ‘All right, I’m here.’ I didn’t really know if he could get it to me. He was able to sneak it through.”

And Burrow wasn’t quite sure, either, how the ball ended up on the Miami 11 and a touchdown a few snaps away.

“I just started to move a little bit, and then I was like, we’re in field goal range, I’ve kind of got to throw it away at this point,” Burrow said. “I was trying to find a place that I could dump it and live to see another down, and Drew pops right there.”

So, a week after Burrow stood up in front of his teammates and took the blame for the shutout to the Ravens with the second-worst passing game of his career, he stood up with his second-best as the legend grows.

“I thought I played a clean game. I thought I protected the ball for the most part,” Burrow said. “That’s how I have to play. Play within the scheme and then take my opportunities to try to make a play when I can.”

With compliments to the defense.