The Cincinnati Bengals felt like their season may have ended in Week 2 after Joe Burrow went down with a turf toe injury that was going to sideline him for the majority of the season. However, thanks to an unusually rough year for the AFC North, their hopes of a playoff berth aren’t completely extinguished despite a 3-7 record so far.
Now that his 21-day return window is open, the chances of seeing Burrow back in action only grow.
Will Joe Burrow Play Against the Patriots?
After Burrow’s MVP-caliber season last year failed to overcome the defensive deficiencies of the roster, the Bengals once again were unable to make the playoffs, marking their second consecutive year without a postseason appearance.
This season, the hope was that things could be different. Unfortunately, through 11 weeks, a similar story is repeating itself. While the weeks with Jake Browning serving as the quarterback were brutal, things have stabilized since Joe Flacco took over the reins of the offense.
This week, though, fans saw their optimism rise for the first time in months, as Burrow was labelled a full participant in two consecutive practices. Add in the reports that Flacco was limited in practice with a shoulder injury, and speculation about his status for Week 12 ran rampant.
Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic revealed what HC Zac Taylor said, stating, “Feel comfortable waiting as long as we can with this decision.”
However, Taylor also claimed that the quarterback had “done everything he can to try to make himself ready to go.” Officially, he was given a questionable designation.
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On Saturday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport confirmed that Burrow will not play in Week 12. “Joe Burrow, attempting to come back just over two months after surgery to repair Grade 3 turf toe, won’t be moved to the active roster just yet, source said,” Rapoport wrote on X. “He’ll remain on IR. Joe Flacco starts, once again. But Burrow’s time is coming.”
NFL insider Dianna Russini confirmed that Burrow could play next week against the Baltimore Ravens, which is a massive game for both teams.
Getting Flacco has saved the Bengals from some blemishes, and he will get another start on Sunday. Ranking in the top five for the week in PFSN’s QB Impact on two separate occasions, he has put together some solid outings to add another victory in the win column for Cincinnati. However, getting their franchise quarterback might be the ultimate shot in the arm that the team needs.
With seven losses already, Cincy’s playoff hopes are nearly in the dust, unless they can mount a comeback over the second half of the season. Given the struggles of the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) and the Baltimore Ravens (5-5), their dream isn’t dead just yet.
According to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor, Cincinnati currently has just 2.1% chances of making the playoffs. The Bengals still hope that they can make a run with Burrow, however, for that to happen, they must win against the Patriots today.
Cincinnati Bengals’ Insights for Week 12
Team: Cincinnati’s -106-point differential is the second-worst in the league, ahead of only the Titans.
QB: In Week 11, Joe Flacco’s QBi score was 69.7 (D+). In his first four games with the Bengals, he achieved grades of C or B-.
Offense:Â Cincinnati has committed at least three turnovers four times this season. They had five total games with at least three turnovers over the last three seasons.
Defense:Â The Bengals recorded a DEFi score of 72.3 (C-) in Week 11 against the Steelers. It snapped a six-game streak of having a grade of D+ or worse.
Fantasy: Tee Higgins has scored on 22.7% of his Joe Flacco receptions this season (career otherwise: 10.5%).
