Richard Sherman throws shade at Bengals while Joe Burrow earns MVP praise
The NFL MVP conversation has taken a turn towards Joe Burrow. Richard Sherman, a former All-Pro cornerback, dropped a bombshell on Amazon Prime's post-game show. He boldly declared Burrow as the rightful MVP, despite the Cincinnati Bengals' struggling 4-8 record.
Sherman isn't alone in this assessment. Micah Parsons, the Dallas Cowboys' three-time All-Pro edge rusher, echoed similar sentiments. Both are championing Burrow's exceptional individual performance in a season marred by team challenges.
Burrow's statistical dominance is hard to ignore. He currently leads the NFL in critical categories: completions (302), pass attempts (446), passing yards (3,337) and touchdowns (30). His impressive 67.7% completion percentage and a stellar 107.4 passer rating further underscore his elite status.
"Statistically, look, Joe Burrow should be the MVP. His team has just let him down. He's got 30 touchdowns, five interceptions. You can say what you want. You can boo what you want. The numbers are the numbers," said Sherman on Thursday.
Burrow is only the seventh quarterback in NFL history to have 30 touchdowns and five or fewer interceptions in the first 12 games. Notably, four previous such occurrences resulted in NFL MVP honors for quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady.
Breaking down the numbers for Joe Burrow's' MVP case
The current MVP race remains tight, with Josh Allen (-230 odds) and Saquon Barkley (+325) leading the pack. Burrow sits at a distant +15000, but his supporters argue the odds don't tell the full story.
The Bengals are averaging 27.9 points per game in losses — the highest such mark in NFL history. Their defense ranks 31st, allowing 28.3 points per game. Burrow's wide receiver, Ja'Marr Chase, leads the league with 1,142 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
"If Joe Burrow's record is the opposite, he'll be the leading runner for MVP," Parsons stated on Thursday post-practice. "He's leading in passing yards, passing touchdowns. This is what a healthy Joe Burrow looks like."
The narrative extends beyond raw statistics. Burrow is operating behind the NFL's 31st-ranked offensive line, making his achievements even more remarkable. He's consistently giving the Bengals a chance to win, despite facing significant defensive challenges.
With the Bengals going 2-6 in games scoring 25+ points and just 1-2 in games scoring over 35 points, the blame seemingly falls on the defensive unit.