Is it just me, or is Joe Burrow playing angry? There seems to be a defiance in the quarterback’s late-season surge — as there was when he spoke candidly earlier this season about his need to play perfectly for the Bengals (7-8) to have any chance to win or now when he details the team’s need to retain top wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

While the Cincinnati Bengals' playoff hopes are slim with just two weeks remaining, the franchise and fanbase continue to hold out hope — as long as there is

Douglas Fritz is an experienced sports journalist covering the NFL, MLB, and NBA for ClutchPoints. Douglas spent over 30 years writing at the Johnson City Press daily newspaper covering University of Tennessee athletics. He is also a screenwriter, book writer, and songwriter.