The Joe Burrow Playoff Push: Why Resting Was Never an Option in 2022

Ah, remember the buzz back in the 2022 NFL season? Specifically, heading into Week 12, when the Cincinnati Bengals were gearing up for a crucial clash against Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots. There was this underlying, almost whispers-in-the-wind sort of discussion: would the Bengals actually consider resting their star quarterback, Joe Burrow, for that game? I mean, really, when you think about it now, it feels a bit wild, right?

At the time, the Bengals were absolutely hitting their stride, sitting pretty with a 7-4 record. They were firmly entrenched in the AFC playoff picture, battling it out with teams like the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins for seeding. This wasn't some team out of contention, eyeing a draft pick. Oh no, this was a bona fide Super Bowl contender, a squad with legitimate aspirations, and a quarterback who was not only healthy but absolutely on fire.

So, the idea of sitting Burrow, even for a moment, just seemed completely illogical. You know how it goes in the NFL – momentum is everything. When you're winning, when your quarterback is dealing, you don't mess with that rhythm. Resting a perfectly healthy franchise QB in the middle of a playoff race? That’s something you do if you’re, well, trying to lose, or if your star is nursing a significant injury. Neither was the case for Cincinnati in November 2022.

Head coach Zac Taylor and the entire Bengals organization knew exactly what was at stake. Every game was a must-win, or at least a must-compete, to solidify their playoff spot and potentially chase down a division title. Pulling Burrow out would have sent a strange, almost defeatist message to the locker room and the fanbase. It would have implied a lack of confidence, or perhaps an unnecessary risk-aversion, when the team needed to be all-in.

Let's be real, the decision for Joe Burrow to start against the Patriots was, in hindsight, a no-brainer. He played, and he played because that's what competitive teams with healthy, elite quarterbacks do in pivotal moments. The Bengals were in "win-now" mode, plain and simple, and Burrow was the undeniable engine driving that charge. It was a clear affirmation of their commitment to winning every single game on their path to the postseason, making any notion of resting him a fleeting, almost comical thought in the grand scheme of their Super Bowl pursuit.