Joe Burrow has confidently declared that the Cincinnati Bengals are "built to beat" Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, as he reflects on his impressive 3-1 record against the formidable quarterback.
Despite a challenging season where Burrow faced injuries and missed the final seven games, the Bengals' signal-caller is optimistic about the team's prospects. With most of their core players returning for the 2024 season and some strategic free agency acquisitions, the Bengals are tipped to be strong contenders alongside the Chiefs.
Burrow didn't hold back in expressing his belief in the Bengals' ability to compete with the Chiefs, stating: "I don't know. I think we both work really hard. They have great players, we have great players. I think we match up pretty well with them. I think we're built to beat them. I always appreciate the legendary battles we have."
He went on to praise the high-caliber performances from both teams, saying, "Guys are out there always making plays. Patrick is always out there making plays. Both teams have big-time defensive lines. It's a great matchup."
The Bengals have strengthened their offensive line by bringing in Mahomes' former blindside tackle, Orlando Brown Jr, last off-season, and now adding another powerful tackle, Trent Brown. This gives them two of the larger tackles in the NFL to protect him.
New England Patriots warned Mac Jones is "limited" as quarterback fined againIn a surprising move, Cincinnati let go of Joe Mixon, sending him to AFC rivals Houston Texans to free up cap space. They then used that money to bring Sheldon Rankins to the interior of the defensive line, and introduced a new safety duo of Von Bell and Geno Stone.
The Bengals' position has been bolstered not only by their own acquisitions but also by the losses of teams around them, which appear weaker on paper for the upcoming season.
Their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, have lost several defensive playmakers, including the aforementioned Stone, Jadeveon Clowney, Patrick Queen, John Simpson, Kevin Zeitler and perhaps most significantly, defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills traded away Stefon Diggs and have yet to find a replacement.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.