Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow went into the blue medical tent after taking a hit from New York Giants edge rusher Brian Burns on Sunday night. Burrow appeared to hit his head on the field following a hit from Burns on third down.
Here’s the latest on Burrow’s injury against the Giants on Sunday night.
What Happened to Joe Burrow in Week 6 vs. Giants?
Following a missed field goal by the Giants, Burrow and the Bengals took the field looking to take a two-possession lead in the fourth quarter. New York’s defense halted Cincinnati’s drive, and Burrow appeared to hit his head on the field following a hit by Burns.
While Burrow was able to walk off the field under his own power, he eventually went into the blue medical tent on Cincinnati’s sideline. He left to return to the sideline shortly after. Burrow returned to the field on the next Bengals offensive possession.
#BREAKING: Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow has entered the medical tent after taking a MASSIVE hit from Brian Burns on Sunday Night Football.
A lot of weight on Burrow’s wrist on that fall.
— Ball Knower (@theball_knower) October 14, 2024
The Bengals were leading when Burrow left the game, 10-7. Burrow was 18 for 27 for 179 yards, averaging 6.6 yards per completion. He was sacked four times for a loss of 25 total yards and had an 85.3 quarterback rating late in the fourth quarter. Burrow also had two carries for 57 yards, including a 47-yard scamper early in the game for a touchdown.
In the latest NFL Quarterback Rankings using our Quarterback+ Metric, Burrow was ranked fourth. PFN Analyst Ben Rolfe noted that Burrow is having the best year of his career in terms of the PFN QB+ metric. That seems crazy, given that the Bengals are 1-4, but Burrow has been excellent, especially when throwing under pressure.
His 0.2 EPA (expected points added) per dropback when pressured would be the highest number in our database if he sustains it across the full season.
That ability under pressure has contributed to Burrow posting a career-high 49% third-down conversion rate (fourth-best among QBs in 2024) and is close to matching his best nYPA numbers (7.6; seventh in 2024) and performances in clutch situations.
If we were to end the season today, Burrow’s overall numbers this year would rank seventh in our database. If he continues to perform like this in the coming weeks, he should move up the rankings since his 48.7 QB+ from last year becomes a smaller factor in our QB rankings.
Fantasy Impact If Burrow Misses Time
If Burrow misses any time due to lingering effects from the injury, Jake Browning will fill his shoes once again, as he did in 2023. Browning filled in admirably as Burrow’s replacement last season, as he completed 70.4% of his passes for 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
While Browning played relatively well in 2023, the potential loss of Burrow would be a major blow to the fantasy stock of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Despite Cincinnati’s early-season struggles and disappointing record, Burrow is still the key to the team’s success.
If Burrow is forced to miss a significant amount of time, it would significantly decrease the stock of every playmaker in Cincinnati moving forward.
