After Sunday’s win over the Raiders, much time was devoted to the presence of a sideline scowl on the face of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. After Thursday night’s loss to the Ravens, and specifically while picking through the aftermath of the game on Friday’s PFT Live with Rodney Harrison, a light flickered regarding another way that Burrow needs to begin expressing his displeasure.
Put simply, Burrow needs to be more of a butthole when calls don’t go his way.
Many criticized Tom Brady for incessant whining and complaining and ultimately politicking for calls. But guess what? It worked. By wearing out the officials for failing to throw flags for fouls committed against him, they knew — even if at a subconscious level — that there would be a cost for not taking care of #Tommy.
Burrow, in contrast, is cool. Calm. Collected. He doesn’t confront the officials after bad calls. That makes it hard for him to get good calls.
It came to a head last night when he was clearly struck forcibly in the head on the fateful two-point conversion attempt. Burrow didn’t say boo about it. He never does. And that might be why he doesn’t get calls.
Remember when referee Ed Hochuli supposedly told Cam Newton he’s not old enough to get certain calls? It’s not just age. It’s willingness to engage, angrily if need be, with those who ultimately decide whether to remove a yellow flag and drop it.
Put Brady in Burrow’s shoes in last night’s game. The officials missed a blatant face mask foul against the quarterback early in the final Cincinnati drive. Burrow didn’t say a word about it. Brady would have lost his shit.
Brady would have confronted the referee, jerking even more violently on his own face mask to demonstrate what had happened. And Brady wouldn’t have let it go, at any point on that drive.
After every play, he would have had something to say to referee Clete Blakeman. Pointed or sarcastic or snarky or even funny. And it would have forced Blakeman and his colleagues to watch more closely when, for example, Brady (Burrow) took a forcible blow to the head on the two-point play.
That’s why some coaches and players work the officials. While at a certain point it can be counterproductive, there’s a way to needle them just enough to shame them into doing a better job the next time around. Brady’s approach worked. Burrow’s, based on what we saw last night, isn’t.
