Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is in a league of his own when it comes to taking down the NFL’s top dog, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Aside from the now-retired, legendary New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, Burrow is the only QB in the league to take down Mahomes in the postseason.

Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow explains what it’s like to go against Patrick Mahomes

In an interview with the host of the “Up and Adams Show” Kay Adams, Burrow explained how going up against Mahomes changed the way he played.

Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow’s big play ability isn’t what makes him a special QB

Burrow said Mahomes’ big play ability forces him to try and make similar big plays. One of the things that separates Burrow from other top-tier NFL quarterbacks is his ability to cut his losses in a manner not so different from the other Mahomes killer, Tom Brady.

When Burrow and the Bengals beat Mahomes twice en route to a Super Bowl appearance in 2021, Burrow won one of those games despite being sacked four times. Burrow was sacked 51 times that season, but his ability to know when to take sacks instead of trying to force something and potentially end up causing a turnover was a big part of the reason the Bengals made such a deep Super Bowl run.

Burrow took nine sacks against the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round of the playoffs that season, but it was still enough for the Bengals to get the job done and advance to the AFC Championship Game.

The Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs face off early in 2024

While there is a high potential for a postseason matchup between the Chiefs and the Bengals, they will first have to face off in week two of the 2024 season.

The Chiefs appeared to be stalling after a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Day in 2023, but quickly turned things around and won their third Super Bowl in five years. This shows that the week two matchup between the Bengals and the Chiefs likely won’t be indicative of how the teams will perform in the playoffs.

Regardless, a matchup between Mahomes and Burrow will command eyes from all around the football world and the two will undoubtedly be giving the early-season matchup everything they have. Mahomes explained the respect he has for Burrow in an article from Sports Illustrated.

“Every time I go up against Josh (Allen), I know it’s going to come down to the end,” Mahomes said. “Same with Joe (Burrow) and Lamar (Jackson). I know how much fire they have. They’re not going to give up until the very end. You appreciate that stuff.”

For the Chiefs, it’s about making sure they are healthy and stable for a playoff run. On the other hand, the Bengals will be looking to prove to the football world, as well as themselves, that they are still capable of making a run like they did in 2021 despite a down year in 2023.

Important parts of the defensive core that helped the Bengals get past Mahomes and the Chiefs in years past have now moved on to other teams, but massive improvements to the offensive line could give the Bengals a chance to recreate the magic of the 2021 season.