Joe Burrow Tosses Arguably Best NFL Pass This Season Against Texans

Bengals fans haven't loved a lot of what Steven Ruiz has said about the Bengals over the years, but the former Ringer turned FOX Sports analyst heaped big praise on Joe Burrow this week.

He picked Burrow's elite third-down completion to Tee Higgins against the Texans as his best NFL throw of the week.

"You have to watch this one from the end zone angle to fully appreciate the play Joe Burrow makes here," Ruiz wrote in his weekly QB notebook. "With pressure bearing down on him, Burrow throws a no-look pass that dekes the defender in coverage and opens up the window to hit Tee Higgins and move the chains on third down. The play requires pocket presence, accuracy, anticipation, and a little bit of creativity."

Coach Impressed

Aug 13, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and quarterback Joe Burrow (9) during a stop in play in the first half against the Detroit Lions at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Zac Taylor is used to seeing plays like this, but it's still wowing after Burrow finished with 207 passing yards and two touchdowns on 20-of-31 completions through the air.

He only had a 54.7 ESPN QBR in the game, but he's been elite in other parts of that stat. The veteran ranks 10th in the league in third-down QBR (86.1).

"I mean, he's been doing that his whole life," Taylor said about Burrow's innate playmaking ability in the pocket on Sunday. "I think that's one of the things that makes him special: his ability to play really strong with his lower body in the pocket to be able to pull through a lot of arm tackles, but also keep two hands on the ball. Like, his ball security is the tape for any quarterback you're ever training. Joe Burrow in the pocket, two hands on the ball, pulling through traffic, keeping his eyes up, and being able to see the throws down the field.

"Even the one to Tee early in the game on the crossing route, the ball placement is textbook as he's jogging through as he pulls through on some great protection, and so it's really impressive. And again, where does all that come from for him? It's hard work. Every tape I've ever watched of him going back to LSU has shown that. So credit to him for doing a good job with the fundamentals there."

Check out the play from the All-22 angle below:

pic.twitter.com/yQW4irC2CT
— Legal All-22 (@legalall22) September 22, 2026

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and be sure to check us out on your favorite audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Amazon.

Add us as a preferred source on Google