Joe Burrow’s December heroics against these Broncos began three years ago at Mile High, when he led the Bengals to a huge playoff-like victory during their Super Bowl run, and he’s hoping to continue the same on Saturday at Paycor Stadium against Denver can to retain the title The Bengals’ playoff hopes are alive.

Since earning a 15-10 win on December 19, 2021 to stop a two-game losing streak, Burrow is 9-1 in December games remaining with a passer rating of 112.56, completing 73% passing and 28 Includes touchdown passes with eight interceptions. The only loss came three weeks ago at Paycor against the Steelers, 44-38, in a game in which he maintained his efforts to make his own history.

It was one of seven straight games in which he threw at least three touchdown passes. On Saturday, he attempted to tie Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck on an all-time list with eight straight games, with only Tom Brady ahead of them with 10 straight games with at least three touchdown passes.

The only thing that is the same about the 1921 Denver defense and this one is that they are both good. Burrow defeated a Broncos defense that finished 8th overall with just 22 passes, his third-fewest attempts in a game. That won’t be the case Saturday, as Burrow, the hottest quarterback in the country, faces off against Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, a former Bengals assistant who has Denver ranked No. 9.

Burrow has a good run against the best defenses. Over his career, he has faced a five-scoring defense in Week 8 or later 11 times and is 7-4 with a 22-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Denver ranks fourth in points allowed.

So if it’s December and it’s Burrow, look for some Christmas magic. The Browns are a middle-of-the-pack defense, but Burrow also treated them rough last week, most notably with two exceptional throws that have people talking even as this game is just getting started.

He threw a two-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tee Higgins, although he fell after clicking with center Ted Karras. He attributed it to offseason work in the weight room, even before he started spring training.

“I’ve been in the exact same spot a few times in games this year and haven’t quite been able to keep up with the shots,” Burrow said this week. “I experienced this over and over again, just putting the body in weird positions and having to use different body parts to get enough speed. And that’s the best thing I’ve ever really done. We somehow the more I did it at the beginning of the year, the more prepared I was to implement it later in the year. And I think you saw that on Sunday.

Burrow says he prepared his body for these throws during the offseason working with longtime coach Dak Notestine.

“I think whenever you’re in a position like that, you have to use the momentum of your body to figure out how to get it off, and you have to get your arm in a position that prevents it from going straight into the dirt “Goes,” Burrow said. “You have to understand when you hit the ground, how your upper body is going to move, and you have to calculate that depending on where the receiver is. The more I do this this year, the better. I will be there because you support these representatives and understand more and more about these things.

The Bengals’ defense is also strong, with 11 turnovers leading the league in the last three weeks. Denver is in second place with nine. With 53, the Bengals have allowed the third-fewest points since December 8th. Some players suspect this is because defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo simplified things.

He doesn’t think so, but he’s all for anything that helps an increasingly extensive roster of young players.

“We still have our list of things we’re going to do… I haven’t said, ‘Hey, we’re going to cut ten defenses,'” Anarumo said this week. “But if something that was practiced during the game and wasn’t repeated that much, that I still think fits into that game plan, maybe we’ll adopt it somehow. There’s some of that going on, but we’re doing it.” I’m still doing what we’re doing. If they feel that way, that’s great.

“If it had somehow been in the game plan and we hadn’t used it as much or at all and it had worked out, maybe I wouldn’t have been able to do it as well as we have in the past. Now.” I’ll keep it simple. We have these young people and ‘Hey, they have representatives for it, so let’s just go ahead and use it.'”

On Sunday, running back Chase Brown wants to do what no one in Bengals history has done: play six straight games with at least 100 scrimmage yards. Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis hit five straight in 2012 and wide receiver AJ Green did it again the next year.

But Brown’s most important task Sunday may be without the ball, as the Broncos blitz 30% of the time, sixth-most in the league. According to Pro Football Reference, they not only recorded the most sacks in the NFL, but also the second-highest pressing percentage and the fourth-highest rushing percentage.

“They play a lot of five-man fronts,” offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said this week. “Whether it’s nickel or base, it’s a backer at the end of the line that comes a lot, not always, but most of the time. There is a high proportion of lightning. Much of this is not exotic print. It’s just the fifth guy, already at the back of the line, but they also have the exotic stuff, if you get him to handle situations, (Joseph) will challenge you.”

Joseph can do it because of his two highly rated cornerbacks who play so well man-to-man: Pro Football Focus No. 1 cornerback Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss.

Among the inactives on Sunday, wide receiver Charlie Jones (groin) missed his eighth straight game and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (illness) missed his sixth straight game…

Tight end Tanner Hudson (knee) missed a second straight game…

As does defensive end Sam Hubbard (knee)…

On offense, Cody Ford was scheduled to start on the left side while backup Andrew Stueber was inactive…