Cris Collinsworth knows an MVP season.
He caught the two NFL MVPs in Bengals history when Ken Anderson made him the franchise's first 1,000-yard receiver in 1981 as a Super Bowl rookie, and Boomer Esiason made sure in 1988 that the last catch of Collinsworth's career came in the Super Bowl.
Now he's watching Joe Burrow prep the Bengals for Sunday night in New York against the Giants (8:20-Cincinnati's Channel 5) in a game Collinsworth calls with Dan Hoard disciple Mike Tirico on NBC's Sunday Night Football.
"The numbers for sure," said Collinsworth Thursday as he scanned the Bengals practice during a rare opportunity for the Northern Kentucky resident to scout the next game without taking a plane ride.
"What is he? 12 (touchdowns) and two (interceptions) and 70 completion percent."
Collinsworth can only shake his head when it comes to Burrow. He also played catch with a 70% thrower. Anderson in 1982.
"Just (his) understanding of what frustrates defenses and when they need to be frustrated is pretty unique," Collinsworth said.
Collinsworth knows a quarterback has to win to be MVP, and he thinks the Bengals will with numbers like that.
"It's really hard for a quarterback to put up those numbers and have one win at this point. That's hard to do," Collinsworth said. "I never pay any attention to September. To me, it's the new preseason. Nobody is playing in preseason. September's over. OK. What's the first thing you see?
"You see them play like that against Carolina and you see them play like that against the Ravens, who I think may be the best team in football. Or at least one of the best. I look at those two games and I go, they're going to be fine. They're going to be in the hunt. You've got seven teams in the playoffs. But these are the games you have to win."
He thinks Sunday could be a favorable matchup for Burrow.
"The Giants are a team so good up front with their front four, lead the league in sacks, and they have the ability to play a little softer in coverage," Collinsworth said.
"Joe is fantastic, as good as I've seen at protecting himself with quicker throws. And then you've got guys that can catch it and run it as well as anything I've ever seen in this league. The matchup is there."
ON THE CHASE
Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, one of those guys who can catch it and run it, thinks taking the Ravens to overtime says his team is playoff-worthy.
"I think we proved that last game. Numbers don't lie, but I think we proved that we can still play in this league and are playoff caliber," Chase said after Thursday's practice. "Everyone knows that because of the playmakers we have. We have faith in our defense. The defense picks it up again, we'll lift off. No one in this locker room wants to quit or has quit in them."
JA'MARR JAM
Collinsworth can't get enough of Chase, either. "Never seen anybody like him," he says. And last Sunday's 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown on a wide receiver bubble screen "is as good as anything I've ever seen."
Collinsworth put together some snapshots of the play for his NBC crew, and this is what he saw:
"Two-on-two blocking. Another behind there and a free safety behind him. The first snap, it looks like a loss of five. The second snap, maybe he'll make it back to the line of scrimmage. Third, he'll escape those two and gain maybe five yards. At no point do you think this going to go for a touchdown. It was like the guy disappeared. He was invisible."
At least Chase was the primary option on that play. The week before in Carolina, when he scored on a 63-yard-catch-and-run, he was the last in Burrow's progression. Since he had to make two guys miss in the middle of the field and run all the way to the opposite sideline, even Chase didn't think he was scoring.
But he had an idea he was against Baltimore.
"Usually, Baltimore is one of the teams that plays the bubble (well). They call it out even when we line up. I just tried to get my hands on the ball and square my shoulders up so I could see downfield," said Chase of the instant he split the blocks of tight ends Erick All Jr. and Drew Sample. "As soon as I looked, there was already a crease for me as I was leaning forward, all my momentum put me through."
SPIN RATE
Burrow says he feels as if he's not throwing the ball like he wants all the time as he comes back from offseason wrist surgery. Chase doesn't see it.
"I can't sit here and say there's a difference in his passes because with me and him, it's a lot of timing," Chase said. "I have to be ready to turn my head when I get this route or this route. With me and Joe, it's really timing. I could care less how the ball is coming at me. He might have a ball where it might get tipped or a little bad one here and there. I don't really see much of a difference."
Why would he? Chase is tied with the Bucs' Mike Evans for the NFL touchdown receptions lead with five, and he's stormed into second place with 493 yards to trail Houston's Nico Collins by 74 yards.
S.I.'s Jay Morrison says Chase can become the first player to log 60-yard-plus touchdown catches in three straight games.
"I've got more in the tank," Chase said. "But I don't know if it will happen."
Speaking of stats, Giants rookie receiver and LSU Ja'Marr descendant Malik Nabers missed last week's win in Seattle in concussion protocol, and he still leads the league with 35 catches. He may not play against the Bengals because he didn't practice again Thursday and remains in concussion protocol.
Chase hopes he can go, but he also wants Nabers to err on the side of his health. He's already texted Nabers saying he wants his jersey after the game. They worked out together at times during this offseason and also spent some time together off the field.
Chase hasn't seen him play much this season, but he's heard the comparisons and he's got to laugh.
"Makes me feel old," he said.
SLANTS AND SCREENS
It appears running back Chase Brown injured his quad during Thursday's practice. He surfaced on the injury report as limited. The other running back Zack Moss (foot) went limited after not practicing Wednesday and looks to be ticking up …
So does tight end Mike Gesicki (hamstring), who went from out to limited Thursday. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (hamstring) and edge Joseph Ossai (shoulder) again went limited …
