CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Joe Burrow is hot again. But he's never been hot quite like this in the five seasons of Burrowdom as the Bengals offense begins to empty its prodigious playbook.
First of all, he simmered enough that he gave a rare pregame speech before Sunday's 34-24 win over the Panthers.
"Just felt right," Burrow shrugged of Joe Cool changing the thermostat. "With Baltimore coming to town next week, there really was no other option other than to figure out a way to win this game."
Then he boiled to a scalding 71% passing with the help of a rampaging offensive line that allowed no sacks, the 1-2 backfield punch of Chase Brown and Zack Moss that on Sunday officially ushered out the Bellcow Era, and a posse of four playmakers who made at least one play of 20 yards.
When the heat lifted, the Bengals had back-to-back 30-point efforts under Burrow for the first time in two years.
"We're explosive. I mean, we can put up 30 points against anybody," said Brown after his career 80-yard rushing day. "That's our mindset. That's how we feel and it's really good."
Brown and Moss each had 15 carries as Burrow handed it off on the Bengals' last ten plays of the game to set up Evan McPherson’s 46-yard field goal through a tricky wind for the two-score lead with 1:14 left.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, who plotted this offensive diversity in an offseason huddled with new offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher and run game coordinator Frank Pollack, flipped a game ball to Pollack and his offensive line.
"If we can do that all year, we're going to be one of the best offenses in the league, consistently," Burrow said of his running game that has its best yard per attempt under his watch at 4.5. "Credit to the offensive line and those running backs. Hopefully, we can keep that going."
Hopefully, Pollack gives one of those game balls to rookie tight end Erick All Jr. He seemingly was in on every key block during his career-high 40 snaps, starting with cutting down linebacker Charles Harris closing from the edge during Brown's first touchdown run.
Enter one of Burrow's growing supporting cast. All also found time for four catches (28 yards), second only to the six of wide receiver Tee Higgins.
"He's a dog," said left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. "He's got a tough-guy mentality sticking his nose in everything."
The Bengals have rushed for 141 yards on 4.5 yards per with Burrow before like they did Sunday. But never like this.
Never with two backs going for 15 carries each. Very rarely, if ever, with two tight ends, All and Drew Sample, playing at least 57% of the snaps. Hardly ever staring at a third-and-goal from the 3 and getting Brown's first NFL rushing touchdown to begin the day's scoring.
And, very rarely on third-and-two as the clock ticked under five minutes as the Bengals protected a 31-24 lead. Even getting stopped on the play didn't prevent the running finish.
"That's Zac putting it on us up front," Orlando Brown said.
He was thinking about Brown's touchdown run gashing the middle with center Ted Karras and right guard Alex Cappa caving it.
"Go out there and do what we do best," Brown said. "Run the ball. Down block. They slanted and Chase was able to split right through there. I think he was untouched. That's a great feeling. 'Run behind me. Who could want more?"
Go another step and if they run like that, Burrow is going to win an NFL passing title. Despite throwing his first interception of the season Sunday, Burrow threw two more touchdown passes and hit a 100-passer rating for his third straight triple-digit outing.
He didn't throw a pass in the last seven minutes, and they were still able to grind the clock with the Panthers sitting on the run. They took advantage of Carolina's depleted nose tackle situation and went after an undersized former Bengal in DeShawn Williams, just up from the practice squad.
"They were stacking up the box, they were gapped out," Chase Brown said. "We know what's coming. We play for those moments in those four-minute situations and we know we just want to put points up at the end. The thing is, you keep the rock on our side and kick the field goal to really push on the dagger at the end."
Now Burrow has old and new playmakers coming out of the woodwork. On a day three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase added another 50-plus touchdown on his 63-yard-catch-and-run, Moss made the play of the day on a one-yard swing pass on the do-or-die last play of the first half.
Burrow's new weapon, freshly arrived from the Colts, has already blue-collared his way into his trust. With time running out for a field goal and Burrow's progressions dangerously taking him to Moss on the perimeter, both believed.
A stunned Moss caught it and slipped before powering into the end zone with a second left.
"I trust Zack," Burrow said.
Plus, Chase Brown, who had more carries than he had all year, is romping on 6.3 yards per with the help of Sunday's 20-yard burst. He's on pace with Moss, who added a 21-yard catch off Burrow's miraculous scramble, to rush for about 800 yards for the most balanced backfield since Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill in 2015.
Then there's wide receiver Andrei Iosivas, getting more and more comfortable in the slot, logging the longest catch of his career in the decisive two-minute drill at the end of the first half when he held onto a 29-yard seam ball despite taking a hellacious sandwich shot.
"We've been moving around, making plays. The team looked pretty good starting out the first half, which is what we needed, someone to keep the momentum up for us, and all around everybody is making plays," Ja'Marr Chase said of spreading the wealth.
"That was big not only for Chase but the receivers too, having to block for Chase, knowing where we have to, set the big hole up for him to finish. It was an outstanding job by the receivers today, too."
Ja'Marr Chase sounded as giddy as he played. He gave the touchdown ball to his grandparents who live nearby after never really hearing Burrow's pre-game speech emphasizing the-backs-to-the-wall theme. He still had his music in ("My Cousin," by Kodak) and a towel draped over his head.
"He did it in college once," Chase said of the LSU days. "He's always had that fire in him. Just letting us know he's still a leader."
Burrow's fire engulfed Chase after Chase avoided two hits over the middle with one of his spinning dance moves on third-and-three before racing down the right sideline on his first target of the day to give the Bengals a 14-7 lead halfway through the second quarter. Burrow sped down the field and vaulted through the air to greet him.
"That was an unbelievable play. He continues to make incredible plays like that. That's just a reminder for me, you've just got to find ways to get him the ball," Burrow said. "They gave us a pressure look and dropped out of it. Brought one of those guys, and the offensive line did a great job on that play. I could have sat back there for another five seconds if I wanted to."
He could because while Sample picked up the guy who was coming, linebacker Shaq Thompson, rookie right tackle Amarius Mims steered the dangerous Jadeveon Clowney past Burrow.
It was a move not lost Burrow, taking note of the first-rounder Mims' first NFL start.
As advertised.
"Really happy with how Mims played today. That was very encouraging," Burrow said. "I knew he was going to come out and play well today, but to have that performance against a rusher like that was impressive, so he's just going to continue to get better and better."
If Burrow's magic with Chase reminded everyone that Chase came into the season leading the league with touchdowns of at least 50 yards, then a couple of Burrow's ghost moves in the pocket conjured up some Super Bowl run memories as he disappeared out of a couple of would-be sacks and then re-appeared making completions.
"You might call me sneaky athletic," said Burrow slyly on a day he lowered his shoulder in the red zone for a 10-yard run on his only scramble of the day that kept a touchdown drive going.
He was clearly still having fun on a Sunday his teammates sensed the offense had just begun to sample the goodies.
"Guys are able to be themselves. Just go out there and play. That's so important. We talk about a great offense, and you've got No. 9 processing it better than anyone in the world. The thing I'm excited about is we haven't peaked yet," said Orlando Brown on a day everyone on offense ate. "I feel like there's so much meat left on the bone."
