Joe Burrow: Will He Play on Sunday? The Pending Decision in Cincinnati
Cincinnati – Uncertainty surrounds Joe Burrow’s possible participation in the Bengals’ next game against the New England Patriots this Sunday. Despite being officially questionable, the final decision is still in the hands of coach Zac Taylor. Burrow, who has been out of action due to a toe injury sustained in Week 2, has shown significant progress. He participated in a limited capacity in Friday’s practice, receiving fewer repetitions than Joe Flacco during the media-open session.We will take the time we have, we will evaluate all the practice we have had this week. He has done everything possible to try to get up to speed and be ready to play. Now I have to make a decision about what to do.
Zac Taylor, Bengals Coach
The player, in his sixth season, has not experienced setbacks in his most extensive practice week since being cleared on November 10th. He fully participated in Wednesday and Thursday’s practices, taking repetitions with the team’s starting offense, according to Taylor. Flacco, who is recovering from a throwing shoulder injury, is healthy enough to start for the sixth consecutive time if needed.
For Burrow to be available, he must be activated to the team’s 53-player roster by 4 p.m. on Saturday. He is currently in a 21-day window that allows him to practice with the team while remaining on injured reserve. Throughout his career, Burrow has demonstrated a remarkable ability to recover from injuries. In 2022, he played despite an emergency appendectomy and in 2023, he played with a calf strain. In a press conference, Burrow indicated that he feels good about the recovery. During the week, Burrow has shown signs of being recovered enough to play on Sunday and help the Bengals (3-7) break a three-game losing streak. However, if Burrow plays against the Patriots (9-2), he would have to play two games in five days, as the Bengals face the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving. Taylor should consider this important factor. It looks great. It looks healthy. You hope he responds well. When he’s out there and gets tackled, you don’t know. Taylor knows that making that decision, especially with a player who wants to play as much as possible, won’t be easy.You trust your gut. Sometimes there is no clear and clean decision. You just have to take all the information, take your time, and make the decision that you think is the most sensible and that helps everyone.
Zac Taylor, Bengals Coach
