CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals throws an interception during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on September 19, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Joe Burrow might be on top of the football world but in Week 2 he was shaking off three interceptions in a loss to the Chicago Bears. It was Justin Fields who made a key run late in the game to seal the 20-17 victory.
How things have changed since September 19th, 2021 at Soldier Field.
The Chicago Bears completed a disappointing 2021 season. They finished 6-11, then fired head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace.
Fields finished his rookie campaign with 1870 passing yards, seven touchdown passes, and 10 interceptions.
The Cincinnati Bengals won the AFC North. Burrow has the Bengals in the franchise’s third Super Bowl appearance.
Talk about a turn-around for a downtrodden franchise.
Cincinnati finished 4-10-1 in 2020. Burrow’s rookie year ended with a horrific knee injury. He came back in his second season to throw for 4611 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 14 picks.
Burrow’s leap from year one to year two may have raised the stakes for all quarterbacks entering their second year like Chicago Bears young buck Justin Fields.
Kansas Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s great sophomore campaigns already raised expectations on second-year quarterbacks. Now there is Burrow taking his team to a Super Bowl to add even more pressure.
In many ways, that is unfair to Fields. He will be playing for a new coaching staff. Also, Nagy’s coaching this season did not do much in terms of grooming Fields as a great quarterback.
You will still get those fans and pundits that will expect any of these 2021 first-round pick quarterbacks to produce like Burrow next season. Especially Fields, who has some parallels with Burrow.