Zac Taylor: Joe Burrow's Toughness Might be His Best Leadership Quality

"The team feeds off that."

CINCINNATI — Star quarterback Joe Burrow helped the Bengals do something they hadn't done in his lifetime: beat the Steelers three times in a row. 

He went toe-to-toe with T.J. Watt following a second quarter interception. And while his teammates might've taken exception to Watt's block on Burrow, head coach Zac Taylor believes toughness is one of his best leadership qualities. 

“I think Joe thinks deep down he’s a linebacker,” Taylor told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. “That’s what he thinks. And that’s kinda how he plays sometimes, and sometimes I gotta hold my breath when he plays that way. But that’s just the mentality he has. And he’s the son of a coach. He’s grown up around football, he’s grown up around being tough and then understanding what toughness is, how that can help you as a leader.

"You don’t always have to just be the most vocal guy yelling and screaming at everybody. You lead through toughness, you lead through knowing what you’re going to do and accomplishing the task that you’re supposed to accomplish. And Joe does that. He’s our linebacker playing quarterback right now, and the team really responds and feeds off of that.”

Not many quarterbacks draw linebacker comparisons. Not only did Burrow and Watt lock up, but the 24-year-old signal-caller sprinted downfield in hopes of blocking for Joe Mixon in the second half with the Bengals up by four scores.

Mixon had a head start on Burrow, but the fact that the quarterback stayed in the play is something that likely caught the attention of his teammates and coaches. 

© Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Bengals are 7-4 for a lot of reasons. Having a franchise quarterback like No. 9 is No. 1 on the list. 

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