Joe Burrow does not get the news he was hoping for, and there wasn’t much he could do about it
The Bengals have made a decision on Joe Burrow for Week 12.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will not be activated off the Reserve/Injured list Saturday.
Per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Burrow will stay on I.R. this weekend, clearing the way for Joe Flacco to start against the New England Patriots.
Burrow is a little over two months removed from surgery for his turf toe injury. He was cleared to practice on Nov. 10 and was a full participant on Wednesday and Thursday of this week, leading to mass speculation that he will make his first start back on Sunday. He’ll have to wait a little bit longer, though it sounds like there wasn’t anything more he could do to be able to start.
“I think Joe has done everything he can to put himself in a position to get back,” head coach Zac Taylor said after Friday’s practice in which Burrow was limited. “We are just going to keep taking our time on this one.”
Joe Burrow watch now transitions to short turnaround for Week 13
Cincinnati will play its second “Thursday Night Football” game of the season next week on Thanksgiving night against the Baltimore Ravens. The Bengals will have just Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to rest and prepare for the AFC North showdown following Sunday’s game against New England.
It’s not a normal week of rest and practice to prepare for a game, especially one on the road.
Whether or not Burrow could play Sunday, there may be hesitancy to have him make his first two starts in a span of five days. No one knows how his toe will feel after playing a full game, and making two starts without a full week’s rest in between may not be the ideal path for him.
The simpler answer could be he’s just not ready to play yet. This was supposed to be a three-month recovery, and he’s on the precipice of returning a month ahead of that projection. He’s already beaten every expectation. His time may be a few more days away.
Sunday is not an absolute must-win for the Bengals, but a loss would make Thursday a true do-or-die contest. Baltimore is surging in the race for the AFC North lead, and Cincinnati’s path to an unlikely postseason berth is winning the division. Dropping another game against one of their rivals would be a death sentence, especially if it’s also the Bengals’ ninth loss of the year.
Burrow said it would be “very” meaningful if he could return to play against the Ravens. All eyes will now be on whether or not he gets his wish next week.
Cincinnati Bengals News
Bengals Injury Report: Zac Taylor reveals Joe Burrow’s game status, and everything else is up in the air
Burrow’s status has been revealed.
