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Joe Burrow: Ravens DC's HOF Comments May Have Been on My Mind During 525-Yard Game
December 26, 2021
Before Sunday's matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said the combination of Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase didn't deserve the same type of defense as Green Bay Packers duo Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams.
Martindale said: "Adams is one of the top two receivers in the league and he's not No. 2. Aaron Rodgers is a Hall of Fame QB, and I don't think we're ready to buy a gold jacket for Joe."
After a 41-21 win over the Ravens, Burrow told reporters he was aware of Martindale's comments and said it may have been on his mind while passing for more than 500 yards.
"I didn't think it was a necessary comment," Burrow said. "I wouldn't say I was offended by it. I mean, I'm in year two. Who knows what's going to happen down the road."
Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson also had some choice words following Burrow's big performance.
Sunday's game was arguably the best of Burrow's young career. It was his first game with 500-plus passing yards and four passing touchdowns. He finished 37-of-46 for 525 yards and four scores, in addition to two carries for 11 yards.
As for Chase, he finished the afternoon with seven catches for 125 yards. Cincinnati's best receiver was Tee Higgins, who finished with 12 catches for 194 yards and two touchdowns.
In a 31-30 loss to the Packers last weekend, the Ravens triple-teamed Adams on some plays and forced him into some different routes. He was held to just six catches for 44 yards and a touchdown, and it was his least productive game since a Week 9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, when he caught just six passes for 42 yards.
At times on Sunday, the Ravens did double- and triple-team Chase, but that didn't stop Burrow from putting together a monster performance. To be fair, the Bengals do have a much more versatile receiving group than the Packers. Entering Sunday, Cincinnati had three receivers (Chase, Higgins, Tyler Boyd) with at least 700 yards on the season. The Packers had just one in Adams.
Burrow also torched the Ravens back in October, throwing for 416 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-17 win. That's now arguably the second-best performance of his career.
Entering Sunday, only four quarterbacks had thrown for more than 400 yards and three touchdowns against the Ravens in a single game: Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Eli Manning. That puts Burrow in some pretty elite company.
The Bengals moved to 9-6 on the season with the win, while the Ravens dropped to 8-7. This is the first time since the 2015 season that Cincinnati has beaten Baltimore in both meetings.
The Bengals now have a 77 percent chance to make the playoffs, while the Ravens have a 33 percent chance.