The Cincinnati Bengals have turned their season around with three consecutive victories, but quarterback Joe Burrow isn't ready to call his team a Super Bowl contender just yet.
Cincinnati enters Sunday's matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid with a 5-2 record, powered by an offense that has caught fire over the past several weeks.
Burrow has thrown 13 touchdown passes during the winning streak, including five in last Sunday's dramatic overtime victory against the Tennessee Titans.
Despite that success, the Bengals quarterback believes there's still plenty of work to be done before Cincinnati deserves to be mentioned among the NFL's championship favorites.
Speaking with reporters in Madrid on Friday, November 6, Burrow delivered a candid assessment of his team's Super Bowl aspirations.
"I don't think we deserve it yet," Burrow said, according to Associated Press reporter Tales Azzoni .
"We certainly can. We have the capability to do it, but right now, we aren't there," Burrow clarified.
Burrow explained that Cincinnati hasn't accomplished enough and needs to improve considerably to become a championship-caliber team. However, he also emphasized his confidence that the Bengals possess the necessary talent.
Burrow's comments are particularly interesting considering Cincinnati's recent offensive explosion.
The Bengals have scored at least 35 points in each of their last two victories, including a 43-36 overtime thriller against Tennessee on November 1.
Burrow finished that game with 462 passing yards, five passing touchdowns and a game-winning nine-yard touchdown run in overtime.
The quarterback delivered several crucial plays late in the game , helping Cincinnati overcome multiple deficits.
However, the victory also demonstrated some of the issues Burrow believes the Bengals must address.
Cincinnati committed four turnovers against Tennessee, including three interceptions thrown by Burrow. The defense also surrendered 36 points to a Titans team that entered the game with just one victory.
Those mistakes could prove costly against stronger competition, especially when the stakes increase later in the season.
Burrow's comments are not to say that he doesn't believe in the Bengals' chances of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season.
Instead, they seem to touch on the fact that the team has a long way to go. They don't want to get ahead of their skis.
While Burrow believes Cincinnati must improve, there are several reasons for optimism heading into Sunday's game.
The Bengals' passing attack has become one of the league's most dangerous, with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins producing impressive numbers.
Higgins earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors following his performance against Tennessee, recording 155 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Burrow also praised Cincinnati's offensive line during Friday's media availability, suggesting the group is playing better than at any previous point during his Bengals career.
The quarterback's confidence in his teammates is understandable.
With the team sitting at 5-2, they are in a better position than they have been in previous seasons. That being said, they must continue their winning ways if they want to keep pace in a competitive AFC North division.
The Falcons will present the next challenge on a road that the team hopes leads to February.
Despite entering Sunday's game with a 3-5 record, Atlanta has top-shelf talent such as Bijan Robinson and Drake London that the Bengals will have to account for.
The matchup kicks off at 9:30 a.m. ET on November 8 at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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