Joe Burrow has been the NFL’s best quarterback at attacking one particular part of the field through the Cincinnati Bengals’ first five games.
Per Doug Murray of the Journal-News, via Yahoo Sports, Burrow earned a league-leading 95.7 Pro Football Focus passing grade on intermediate throws, defined as passes traveling 10-19 yards downfield. He also led the NFL with 32 completions at that depth without recording a turnover-worthy play.
That combination suggests Cincinnati has been getting more than safe completions from its quarterback, with Burrow consistently connecting past the underneath coverage. But at the same time, he's avoiding dangerous decisions that can turn good-looking possessions into sudden scoring chances for opponents.
Burrow's
other passing numbers are strong, too. Through five games, Burrow completed a league-best 71.4% of his passes while throwing for 1,361 yards and 11 touchdowns. His 86.8 overall PFF grade ranked fifth in the league.
As the intermediate action can open up shorter throws to move the chains in key situations, the lingering thought is if that efficiency can be sustained.
At least, five games display a hopeful sample, and Burrow’s early command of that area serves as something concrete to build around.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Joe Burrow leads NFL in key PFF passing category
