The start of the NFL season is finally upon us, and while there are several major storylines likely to develop through the course of the regular season across Ohio sports betting, one of the most anticipated will take place in Cincinnati. Can Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow successfully come back from his second season-shortening injury in his four years?
In anticipation of what Cincy fans hope is a spectacular season, BetOhio.com used Pro-Football-Reference.com to find his average completion percentage, passing yards, and touchdowns over his career to compare with his pending stats for this season to measure his comeback. Can he surpass his best year?
And track the Bengals Super Bowl odds all season long here.
Completion % | Passing Yards | Touchdowns |
0 | 0 | 0.0% |
Burrow and the Bengals open the season Sunday at home against the New England Patriots. As an 7.5-point favorite, Cincy is the biggest favorite among the slate of Week 1 games offered by most Ohio betting apps.
Also of interest: Joe Burrow’s NFL Career In Home Openers: What Can We Expect Against Patriots?
Completion % | Passing Yards | Touchdowns |
67.7% | 3520.8 | 4.9 |
With just four seasons in the books, and with him limited to just 10 games in two of those, Burrow’s average stats are a little deceiving. He’s thrown for at least 4,475 yards in the two campaigns when he started 16 games. His touchdown percentage was also significantly higher in those two years, too.
Completion % | Passing Yards | Touchdowns |
70.4% | 4611 | 6.5 |
Burrow was hit with a double whammy last season. He strained his left calf in the preseason, and while he did not miss any time because of it, his production waned. Unable to push off on that leg, Burrow settled for many short passes. Not surprisingly, the Bengals went 1-3 to start the season.
His calf started showing signs of healing in October, and that’s when he began playing his best. Cincy won four straight after the dismal start, and that included convincing victories at San Francisco and at home versus Buffalo in back-to-back weeks. Just two weeks later, though, Burrow’s season would be done when he injured his throwing wrist in a Thursday night game at Baltimore.
The last time Burrow came back from a season-shortening injury, he won two Comeback Player of the Year awards and led the Bengals to the Super Bowl. He might be hard-pressed to win it for a second time, but he is the second choice on DraftKings futures board. Only Aaron Rodgers, at +140, has shorter odds than Burrow’s +300.
Burrow’s comeback isn’t the only big storyline coming out of Cincinnati. Ja’Marr Chase, his top wide receiver, has been conducting a “hold-in” as he seeks a record-setting extension. The former first-round pick arrived at training camp but never took part in any activities in hopes of getting a big payday. With other top receivers like Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and Brandon Aiyuk scoring nine-figure contracts, Chase wants that kind of deal, too.
In his first three seasons, Burrow’s former LSU teammate has caught 268 passes for 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns wearing the orange and black, but without a new deal in place in the next few days, the hold-in could become a holdout. That could throttle what many expect to be one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses.
While Cincinnati has a very deep receiving corps, Chase is a game-changer at WR1. Opposing secondaries will have their hands full if he plays a full season next to Tee Higgins. Another AFC North title and perhaps a trip to the Super Bowl aren’t out of the question. Oddsmakers at bet365 Ohio Sportsbook have priced the Bengals at +700 to win the AFC Championship, tied with the Buffalo Bills for third-shortest odds in the AFC. At +1200, they’re the co-fourth choice, along with the Bills and the Detroit Lions, to win the Super Bowl.
Bookmark this site, Who Dey Nation and BetOhio will provide you with up-to-date stats on Burrow’s comeback campaign and the latest odds for him to win another Comeback Player of the Year award.
USA Today photo by Katie Stratman.
Author
Steve is an accomplished, award-winning reporter with more than 20 years of experience covering gaming, sports, politics and business. He has written for the Associated Press, Reuters, The Louisville Courier Journal, The Center Square and numerous other publications. Based in Louisville, Ky., Steve has covered the expansion of sports betting in the U.S. and other gaming matters.
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