Joe Burrow — Week 2: Two Touchdowns, Five Sacks
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 21
Burrow completed 20 of 31 throws for 207 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions and was sacked five times for 25 yards. After four punts to open the game he converted third and eight and third and four to Tee Higgins and hit Ja'Marr Chase for 32 yards and the first points on the next snap. Chase and Higgins accounted for 170 of the 207 yards in a 20–6 win over the Texans.
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Cincinnati's first four possessions ended in punts, and Joe Burrow's nine pass plays in the first quarter were worth −6.2 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position. The fifth possession started at the Cincinnati 19 with six 53 left in the second quarter, nothing to nothing. Third and eight at the 21: short middle to Tee Higgins, 18 yards. Third and four at the 45: short middle to Higgins again, 23 yards, 10.3 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it, the biggest swing of the day. First and 10 at the Houston 32: deep right to Ja'Marr Chase, 32 yards, touchdown, +3.3 expected points and 9.8 more points of win probability. Seven to nothing, and Cincinnati never trailed.
The line: 20 completions on 31 throws, 207 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, five sacks for 25 yards, and −0.5 expected points on 36 pass plays. Before halftime it was 12 of 19 for a hundred 29 on 22 pass plays; after it, eight of 12 for 78 on 14. The second touchdown was third and six at the Houston 18 with three 12 left in the third, deep right to Chase, 18 yards, 17 to three. On third down: 13 pass plays, 11 throws, eight completions, five conversions, two sacks. All three throws the play-by-play labels deep were complete, both touchdowns and a 23-yarder to Higgins on third and five. He did not scramble and did not run; his one rush is the kneel that ended the game.
The near-zero total is three numbers added up. 19 throws to Chase and Higgins: 12 completions, a hundred 70 yards, +9.4 expected points. 12 throws to everyone else: eight completions, 37 yards, −3.9. Five sacks: −6.0. Two of the sacks came on third down, and one drive reached third and 26 after a sack and two of Cincinnati's five false starts.
Back in June the preview called Burrow elite when healthy and said that was the whole bet — a pure pocket passer with no rushing floor, priced third at the position on the assumption he stays on the field. Week 1 was 254 yards and an interception returned for a touchdown, +5 runs. Sunday had no interception and no runs, and five sacks against one the week before. He has played both games, which is the part of the bet that matters most, and two games is a small share of a season. Cincinnati is at the Steelers on Sunday the 20-seventh.
_Data via nflverse._
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