Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is dealing with some soreness after a tough win against the Dallas Cowboys, but coach Zac Taylor remains confident the star signal-caller will be ready to go. Burrow, who was sacked twice and hit eight times in the Monday Night Football victory, left the field limping late in the fourth quarter following a facemask grab during a third-and-13 play. Despite the physical toll, including a re-aggravation of his left knee — a knee that was surgically repaired back in 2020 — Burrow is expected to practice this week and be available for Sunday’s matchup with the Tennessee Titans.
Burrow Pushes Through Pain
While the Bengals’ offensive line struggled to protect Burrow at times against Dallas, the 26-year-old quarterback showed his resilience. After being sacked and hit repeatedly, Burrow was clearly shaken up by the non-call on the facemask grab in the fourth quarter, but he didn’t let it slow him down. Trainers applied a compression sleeve to his knee during breaks, and despite the discomfort, Burrow was back on the field to finish the game — even throwing the game-winning touchdown with less than a minute remaining.
When asked about his injury after the game, Burrow wasn’t overly concerned. He explained that he had simply “landed on the knee a couple of times” but insisted it wasn’t serious enough to keep him off the field. “It’s playing football,” Burrow said. “I was never not able to go out. I was able to do everything that I needed to do to go out and perform well. This isn’t something that would keep anybody out of the game.”
Bengals Face Injury Troubles Across the Board
While Burrow’s knee is a manageable issue, the Bengals are also facing other injury concerns as they prepare for their Week 14 clash with the Tennessee Titans. Offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. is still nursing a leg injury that has kept him “week-to-week” since Week 7. After missing three games, Brown returned to action but was visibly hindered by the injury in the team’s last outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers. His status remains uncertain.
On the defensive side of the ball, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins is also battling a viral illness, which has plagued the Bengals for several weeks. Linebacker Joe Bachie, whose role increased after Logan Wilson was placed on injured reserve, will be sidelined for an undisclosed number of weeks due to an adductor injury.
Bengals Eyeing Key Matchup Against Titans
Despite the injury concerns, the Bengals (5-8) are focused on their upcoming game against the Tennessee Titans (3-10). Burrow’s status for the game isn’t in doubt, but the Bengals will need to monitor the health of several key players, including Brown and Rankins, ahead of Sunday’s contest.
With the Bengals’ playoff hopes slimmed down by their 5-8 record, this game against the Titans will be crucial to keeping their season alive. Burrow’s leadership will be even more important as the Bengals navigate a tough stretch of games, and while his knee may be sore, it’s clear that the quarterback isn’t letting injuries stand in his way. Fans can expect Burrow to power through the pain and do everything in his ability to give Cincinnati a shot at turning around their season.
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