The Cincinnati Bengals‘ 2023 campaign took a significant turn last Thursday night when quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
What comes next for the Bengals? Can Jake Browning keep them in contention, or should Cincinnati fans start looking toward 2024? We dive into that matchup and much more on the most recent edition of the PFN Bengals Podcast.
PFN Bengals Podcast: Assessing Post-Joe Burrow Life
Thursday night’s game was supposed to be the Bengals’ chance to get back in the race for the AFC North crown. Burrow had recovered from the calf strain that hampered him earlier this year, and while Cincinnati was coming off a close loss to the Houston Texans, it was still in the thick of the playoff mix.
Instead, Burrow will give way to Browning, who will make his first NFL start against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
While the Bengals’ 2023 ceiling may be capped with Burrow on injured reserve, there are still plenty of reasons to keep watching Cincinnati this season.
If you’re a glass-half-full person, you might be encouraged to watch Browning’s progress over the rest of the year or see how Zac Taylor and Brian Callahan alter the Bengals’ offense with an inexperienced option under center.
MORE: Joe Burrow’s Injury Timeline
If you prefer a glass-half-empty approach, you might start looking ahead to the 2024 NFL Draft. Depending on how Cincinnati finishes the season, it could end up with a top-10 pick, giving general manager Duke Tobin a chance to land a high-end prospect who otherwise might’ve been out of the Bengals’ reach.
Either way, we’ve got you covered with the top 10 reasons to keep checking in on the Bengals every Sunday.
Plus, can Cincinnati pull out a win this week? Pittsburgh just fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada on Tuesday — will they still be reeling at game time? And which 1-on-1 matchup are we most looking forward to watching?
We’ll be returning to your airwaves each and every week — join us next week when we recap Bengals-Steelers and preview Cincinnati’s Week 13 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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