The game that most NFL fans have circled as being the best one this weekend will be the Cincinnati Bengals traveling to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Quarterback matchups are everything and this game has the best one of the week as Joe Burrow will be facing off with Tom Brady for the first time in his career.
In his third season in the league, Burrow has quickly cemented himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He, like his peers, can only hope to be as successful as Brady has been throughout his career. Given the turnaround that he is leading in Cincinnati, there are a lot of people that have been comparing Burrow to Brady.
While the comparisons can be flattering, it isn’t something that Burrow is concerning himself with. He does admit there are a few things that they share in common, such as a quick release, reading defenses and using their lower body to deliver a pass. But, beyond that, Burrow feels he is a unique player and isn’t trying to replicate someone else.
“I don’t really pay attention to it. He’s Tom and I’m Joe,” Burrow said, via the team’s website. “I really just think that I play the game my own way. I kind of have a little bit of everybody. I wouldn’t say there’s one thing I do the best. But I would say that I do everything with the best of them. I wouldn’t say I really have a glaring weakness.”
The No. 1 overall pick from the 2020 NFL Draft is having another strong season for the Bengals. He has completed 68.1 percent of his passes for 3,685 yards and 27 touchdowns with nine interceptions. The 27 touchdowns are second in the NFL behind only Patrick Mahomes.
Brady isn’t putting up the prolific passing numbers we have become accustomed to seeing him produce, but he is still more than holding his own at 45 years old. He is leading the league in completions and attempts for the second straight season, so there is still confidence from the Buccaneers’ coaching staff that he can get the job done.
Bengals center Ted Karras played with Brady on the New England Patriots, so he can offer a unique insight into the comparisons between him and Burrow. Karras believes that Burrow has all of the ability in the world to ascend to that level, but at the end of the day, it is all about winning.
What separates Tom Brady from other quarterbacks isn’t the stats he puts up, it is how often he wins. A victory on Sunday would be a nice achievement for Joe Burrow, but he knows to truly be compared to Brady, he needs to continue qualifying for the postseason and start winning some Super Bowl rings.
