Adam Schefter shares which Bengals game he thinks Joe Burrow could officially return for as the starting quarterback
Schefter has his eyes on a Bengals game in the near future.
The Cincinnati Bengals opened the 21-day window for quarterback Joe Burrow to return from the Reserve/Injured list Monday, but he does not have to play in a game before that window expires.
Burrow hinted at Cincinnati’s Week 13 game at the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving as a game he’d want to make his official return for, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes the Bengals’ Week 14 road game against the Buffalo Bills is when Burrow will take the field again.
“I think he’d like to target that Thanksgiving night game, which is at Baltimore, to come back,” Schefter said on The Adam Schefter Podcast. “I personally think the more realistic target is the next week at Buffalo. I think the game at Buffalo is the game that we should circle for a potential Joe Burrow return.”
Clearing Burrow to practice now means there is strong belief the 28-year old could play within the next three weeks, but deciding whether or not to actually put him out on the field comes down to more than just his health.
Analyzing when Joe Burrow could return
Cincinnati is struggling with a 3-6 record, but the AFC North race is still very tight with the Pittsburgh Steelers only two games ahead of the Bengals. That a division title is still somewhat of a possibility is a big reason why Burrow returning is even in play.
Burrow won’t be able to impact Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh and probably won’t be out there next week against the New England Patriots. If Cincy keeps losing games and continues falling deeper below .500, the idea of Burrow returning for Thanksgiving or the game after becomes more reckless.
How the Bengals perform over the next few weeks is so critical to Burrow’s possible return happening at all.
“But you also have to wonder, if the Bengals lose these next three games, does it even make sense to put them out there if they’re out of the division race,” Schefter said. “If they can stay in the division race, if they can find a way to win a game or two here, and the division doesn’t pull away from them, then I think at Buffalo is the game that I have circled on my calendar to see if [Burrow] can make it back by then.”
Bengals’ next 5 games with a Joe Burrow return on the horizon
- Week 11: at Pittsburgh Steelers – Sunday, Nov. 16, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
- Week 12: vs. New England Patriots – Sunday, Nov. 23, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
- Week 13: at Baltimore Ravens (Thanksgiving) – Thursday, Nov. 27, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
- Week 14: at Buffalo Bills – Sunday, Dec. 7, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX
- Week 15: vs. Baltimore Ravens – Sunday, Dec. 14, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Cincinnati is not forced to activate or play Burrow at all if the club chooses against it. He’s as competitive as they come, but risking further injury in what could very well be a lost season is not a wise decision.
But if some wins are to come this month, Schefter has his eyes on early December for Burrow’s return.
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