Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will be chasing an unprecedented three-peat in 2024, but the question is whether someone will stand on their way. According to Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals can be that team.
“I think we match up pretty well with them,” Burrow told Jason and Travis Kelce in a recent episode of their ‘New Heights’ podcast, viaSports Illustrated. “We’re kind of built to beat them.“
If there’s anyone who has arguments to believe he can take down Andy Reid’s team, that’s Burrow. The former first-overall pick gained the upper hand not once, not twice, but three times against the Chiefs.
All three wins came in 2022, including a hard-fought victory in the AFC Championship Game to lead Cincinnati to a long-awaited Super Bowl appearance. Burrow’s only loss to Kansas City came in the 2023 AFC title game, with the Chiefs making Super Bowl LVII thanks to a game-winning field goal.
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“Both teams have big-time players on defense, big-time defensive lines, so it makes for great matchup,” Burrow added. “… We both work really hard at what we do. They got great players, we’ve got great players.”
Bengals can contend thanks to Burrow
Burrow, 27, has turned the Bengals around since being selected first-overall in 2020. While the first season was challenging, it didn’t take long for the LSU product to make Cincinnati a contender.
He took the franchise to an unlikely Super Bowl trip in 2021-22, making it all the way to the AFC Championship Game the following season. 2023 was more challenging, with Burrow playing through pain until a wrist injury in Week 11 ended his season.
The Bengals still have a star-studded offense though, and with Burrow only in his fifth year in the league, we can expect him to continue making Cincinnati one of the most competitive teams in the NFL.
Mahomes, Chiefs expected to have another great year
While Burrow can be seen as a threat to the Chiefs’ three-peat aspirations, the truth is the rest of the league should continue to fear Kansas City. With three Super Bowls in five years, it looks like this dynasty is just getting started.
Apart from Mahomes, Reid, and Travis Kelce coming back to keep the core of the dynasty untouched, the team managed to bring back other key contributors to its success, including DT Chris Jones and LB Drue Tranquill.
GM Brett Veach also made some interesting signings in free agency, with the arrival of star wideout Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown perhaps the most prominent move.