Vontaze Burfict emerging as leader for Cincinnati Bengals

Sep 8, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict (55) before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

Vontaze Burfict emerged as a playmaker on an elite Cincinnati Bengals defense last year, but the former Arizona State All-American wants to become more of a leader this season for team already looking like a legitimate playoff team.

One sign of a great leader is the willingness to make a decision in the heat of battle when everything is on the line.

That very scenario played out during the final drive on Sunday, with the Bengals leading the Packers but needing one final stop to get the win:

"WILL linebacker Vontaze Burfict said he’s never been more exhausted than he was after Sunday’s 81-snap effort. But he had enough wits about him to talk Zimmer into changing the final play that resulted in right end Michael Johnson’s tipped pass to end it.“It shows he trusts me a little bit,” Burfict said. “He wanted to call one play and I said, ‘Coach, that’s not going to work.’ Let’s just go base and hopefully we get Rodgers to start scrambling and we plaster their guys and it worked.”"

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