Over the off season, it was reported Joe Burrow would have an appendectomy. Having this surgery just weeks before the preseason kept him from playing in any of those games, which he wouldn’t have played in anyway. More importantly this kept him off the practice field, until days before the first game against the Steelers.

Burrow opened the season with four interceptions and a fumble against the Steelers. This caused many to believe Burrow would be starting to fade out, as so many quarterbacks do in their early careers. The skeptics had more reason to believe this after a loss to the Cowboys in week two, where he threw for a mere 199 yards.

Since week two, Burrow has thrown for 698 yards, and 12 touchdowns, while rushing for another 3 touchdowns. To go along with this, he has also only turned the ball over once in these weeks. Since these games, Burrow has looked much more like his old self. Burrow has been escaping sacks like a magician and making throws that nobody else in the league would be able to complete.

In the Bengals latest game against the Falcons, Burrow threw for 481 yards, and 3 touchdowns, while rushing for 20 more yards and another touchdown.

On the first play of the second quarter, Burrow completed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Jamarr Chase. This ball was placed in the only spot Chase could catch it, in other words, this ball was thrown perfectly.

All game long, Burrow was completing passes that no other quarterback in the NFL would complete. This may sound like a wild claim, but it is 100 percent true! When Burrow is playing like the Burrow we saw last year, he is simply the best player in the league, on either side of the ball.

Early season MVP candidates have included Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Jalen Hurts. However, one name is missing from this list, Joe Burrow. Burrow has more passing yards than all these quarterbacks, besides Mahomes. Burrow also only trails Allen by 2 total touchdowns, and Mahomes by 3.

As the season goes on, look for these three quarterbacks to separate themselves from the rest of the league when it comes to the MVP discussion. Allen and Mahomes have already gone against each other this year, and each of these quarterbacks will face Burrow in Cincinnati later in the season. Not only could these games have significant impact on the playoffs, but also on the MVP race.

Joe Burrow has shown over the last couple of weeks that he still the quarterback that we all know and love. He is hungry to get the Bengals back to the Super Bowl. Overall, Joe Burrow is back!