It’s been a long nine weeks since Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow went down in the second quarter of the Bengals’ Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars with a turf toe injury, but the wait for Bengals fans might soon be coming to an end. Burrow participated in full in today’s practice, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, which would put him on track to potentially play this coming weekend when Cincinnati takes on the AFC East-leading New England Patriots.
It’s worth noting that Burrow had expressed hope of returning for the Bengals’ Thanksgiving game in Week 13 against the Baltimore Ravens, which would put him a few days ahead of the expected timeline. Despite the positive sign of a full practice, Cincinnati will have to see how his body responds throughout the week before it commits to starting him on Sunday. Joe Flacco has been capable in his stead, completing 63.4% of his passes for 1,453 yards, 12 touchdowns, and three interceptions, good for a 96.2 passer rating that actually out-paces Burrow’s production in the first two games of the season. His 290.6 yards per game since becoming the Bengals’ starter easily lead the league. Though Cincinnati has lost seven of its last eight games, that’s more a function of the defense than it is of Flacco.
The Bengals should only play Burrow if he’s truly 100%. At 3-7, they’re in third place in the AFC North, three games behind the Jaguars for the final Wild Card spot and three games behind the Pittsburgh Steelers for first in the division. Though they hold the tiebreaker over Jacksonville and would likely pass the Steelers in tiebreakers if they tie them in record, their playoff hopes are slim, especially given their difficult remaining schedule, which includes two games against the now-healthy Ravens, one against the Patriots, and one against the Buffalo Bills. Given Flacco’s solid performance, there’s no reason to rush a sub-100% Burrow onto the field and risk re-injury.
At 100%, Burrow is a must-start regardless of the opponent. Last season, he led the league in completions, passing yards, and touchdowns, and he’s the most accurate quarterback in NFL history despite being fairly aggressive. He also has exceptional chemistry with Tee Higgins, who should receive a bulk of the targets with Ja’Marr Chase suspended. New England’s secondary is good — it has received the ninth-highest coverage grades at Pro Football Focus and has been worth the 11th-most expected points added — but it has still allowed opponents to throw for the seventh-most touchdowns and record the 16th-most fantasy points per game. The Patriots’ offense could also put up points against the atrocious Cincinnati defense, forcing Burrow to throw.
