Joe Burrow jogged off the field at Hard Rock Stadium with a refreshed mindset in Week 16, after leading the Cincinnati Bengals to a dominant 45-21 road victory over the Miami Dolphins.
The Bengals franchise quarterback didn’t mince words about turning in a day of football that quickly reminded everybody why he’s one of the most sought-after tickets in the game.
Following a week of tension, worry, and ambiguity about his status in Cincinnati, Burrow responded with a vintage 309-yard, four-touchdown showing on Sunday.
“That is how it is supposed to look like,” Burrow said to the media after the game. “It was fun. I’m having fun playing football. Not playing football is not fun. When you are sitting in a locker room rehabbing all day — that is not why you do it. This is why you do it right here.”
Burrow completed 25 of 32 passes, spreading the football efficiently to his weapons.
Ja’Marr Chase hauled in nine catches for 109 yards, Tee Higgins added his 10th touchdown reception of the season, and running back Chase Brown turned in a historic showing with three touchdowns — two receiving and one on the ground — becoming the first player this season to rack up three scores in a single quarter.
Even former Dolphin Mike Gesicki found the end zone, celebrating in front of his old team.
Burrow Dominates After Slow Start, Showcases Explosive Bengals Offense
The Bengals’ performance was particularly striking in the third quarter, when they outscored Miami 21-0.
Cincinnati forced three turnovers on consecutive possessions, turning a forced fumble by safety Jordan Battle and two interceptions by Barrett Carter into touchdowns. The result was a 28-point second-half explosion that highlighted the synergy between Burrow and his teammates — a glimpse at the high-powered offense Cincinnati had hoped to sustain all season.
For the Dolphins, rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers made his first NFL start, completing 20-of-30 passes for 260 yards but throwing two costly second-half interceptions. Tua Tagovailoa was benched for the remainder of the 2025-26 season last week, making Ewers the team’s experimental solution under center.
While Ewers showed moments of promise early in the game, Miami could not match the precision and execution of Burrow and the Bengals.
Burrow Surpasses 20K
Sunday’s win may have had little playoff significance — both the Bengals (5-10) and Dolphins (6-9) had already been eliminated from contention — but it was what Burrow and the city needed at this stage of a tumultuous year.
After an off week and a harsh 24-0 shutout to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15, Burrow quietly crossed 20,000 career passing yards — reaching the mark in just 75 games — making him the fifth-fastest quarterback in NFL history to hit 20K.
“I missed a full season of games too, so it should have been more,” Burrow said on Sunday, per ESPN’s Ben Baby, his usual self-deprecating humor cutting through the celebration.
Burrow joins a legendary group that features Patrick Mahomes, Dan Marino, Matthew Stafford and Andrew Luck.
The Bengals host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17, with Burrow looking to continue building momentum in the final two games of the season.
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