(Video) ‘Iconic’ Joe Burrow hits the griddy with Ja’Marr Chase after scoring crucial season-saving TD against Broncos
The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Denver Broncos 30-24 in the overtime, thanks to Joe Burrow's 437-yard, 4 TD performance.
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Joe Burrow breaks out into the Griddy after a fourth quarter sneak play TD. (Image via Yardbreaker)
The 28-year-old young stalwart from Ames, Iowa, Joe Burrow continued to showcase impressive talent with a sneaky touchdown win over the Denver Broncos in overtime. The Cincinnati Bengals stay alive in the playoff race with one week left in the regular season.
Joe Burrow threw 39-of-49 for 412 yards and three touchdowns without any interceptions. He also rushed for 25 yards and scored a rushing touchdown. Joe Burrow leads the NFL in most passing yards and passing touchdowns, ahead of Geno Smith and Lamar Jackson respectively. He also became the eleventh quarterback in NFL history to score at least 40 passing TDs in a single season – a feat first achieved by Dan Marino in 1984.
In the fourth quarter with two minutes to spare, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos were tied at 17-17. With 2nd-and-goal at the 1-yard line, the Bengals executed a successful QB sneak, allowing Burrow to cross the goal line for the score. Joe Burrow didn’t wait to savor his rushing TD moment.
Burrow broke out to perform the Griddy with his colleague Ja’Marr Chase, the celebration popularised by Chase as well as Burrow’s former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson. In the post-game interview, Burrow commented on his celebration when he was asked to brief about what went into the celebration.
HONEY WAKE UP!! @joeyb JUST DID THE GRIDDY#EasyToCelebrate | @budlight pic.twitter.com/ZanYgdVqmN
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 29, 2024
I was holding the ball and looked at Ja’Marr, he shrugged said ‘what are you gunna do?’ and I just started hittin’ it, I don’t know, we locked eyes, and I just started doing it.
Joe Burrow said
He also admitted that there was never an instance where he and Chase practiced the celebratory dance. The Burrow version, although short of Chase and Jefferson’s, was far better than the one Mike Gesicki attempted on his debut.
Although Burrow celebrated the go-ahead touchdown in a must-win game for Cincinnati to keep its playoff hopes alive, the Broncos responded swiftly, evening the score at 24-24 and forcing the game into overtime. Burrow threw another TD, this time to Tee Higgins to finish the game in the Bengals’ favor.
Burrow’s performance hasn’t gone unnoticed either. There have been multiple calls by different personalities like Micah Parsons and Dan Orlovsky to adjudge Burrow as the MVP in case the Bengals make playoffs. Parsons earlier noted that Burrow is the best QB in the league right now. Similarly, Kyle Long expressed that the 28-year-old Iowan should be in MVP talks regardless of playoffs.
Joe Burrow and Cincinnati Bengals keep playoff hopes alive with OT win over Denver Broncos
A Cincinnati Bengals loss would have meant that the seven AFC postseason teams were fixed. Denver Broncos needed just a win to find their first playoff since 2015. However, the Bengals have put a heavy toll on their chances.
The Broncos face the Kansas City Chiefs, who have lost just once, in Week 18. Meanwhile, The Bengals keep the playoff hopes alive for one more week.
The Bengals, however, have an arduous path if they are to make the playoffs. The AFC North division title is out of reach considering the Ravens and Steelers have 10 or more wins. The Bengals, after the Saturday Night games, can qualify only through the seventh playoff spot.
After the Broncos vs. Bengals game, this is how the AFC Wildcard spots look like:
| Division | Teams | Overall Record | Playoff Status |
| North | Pittsburgh Steelers | 10-6 | Clinched |
| West | Los Angeles Chargers | 10-6 | Clinched |
| West | Denver Broncos | 9-7 | Not yet clinched |
| North | Cincinnati Bengals | 8-8 | Not yet clinched |
| South | Indianapolis Colts | 7-8* | Not yet clinched |
| East | Miami Dolphins | 7-8* | Not yet clinched |
The Bengals have to win their remaining schedule against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Furthermore, they will need the Denver Broncos to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in the final regular season game. That’s not at all, if at all, Joe Burrow and company need to make the playoffs, and both Indianapolis and Miami need to drop one game each.
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Mohammed Bazim
(364 Articles Published)