The Cincinnati Bengals suffered a significant scare at training camp involving franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. During Thursday’s practice, Burrow was carted off the field after he went down with a non-contact injury. He grabbed at his lower leg before being removed from the session.
Head coach Zac Taylor said after practice that Burrow is dealing with a calf injury, and the team confirmed to ESPN Burrow suffered a strained calf. Taylor indicated on Friday that Burrow will be out several weeks, and that the team will look to add a quarterback to the other two healthy passers currently on its roster (Trevor Siemian and Jake Browning), who will rotate by day for the moment.
On Saturday, the team brought in former XFL quarterbacks Reid Sinnett and Drew Plitt for a workout and are planning to sign Sinnett, according to NFL Network.
Burrow sat on the ground for a few minutes with Bengals running back Mixon next to him before the cart came and took him in. The injury occurred as Burrow was flushing out of the pocket.
“He was just scrambling,” Taylor said to reporters, via Fox 19 Now in Cincinnati. “This is football. Guys go down with an injury. … That’s just part of football in training camp.”
Before the team confirmed that Burrow had suffered a strain, wide receiver and good friend Ja’Marr Chase told reporters why he thinks Burrow will be OK. “We always give each other that nod,” Chase said after practice, via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “He gave me a nod [to say] he’s all right. He’s a strong dude.”
Chase added that he felt better after receiving the nod from his quarterback.
“I wasn’t really worried,” Chase said. “I believe he’s all right.”
Taylor confirmed after practice Burrow was wearing a sleeve on his injured leg, which is something the quarterback doesn’t normally wear. Taylor won’t panic on the situation regarding his franchise quarterback.
Burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and the key toward the franchise capturing its first Super Bowl title. He has taken the Bengals to consecutive AFC Championship game appearances, after finishing a season tied for second in the NFL in passing touchdowns (35), while ranking fifth in completions (414), fifth in passing yards (4,475) and sixth in passer rating (100.8). Over the last two seasons, Burrow leads the NFL in passer rating (104.8) and his third in the NFL in touchdown passes (69).
If Burrow were to miss the season, SportsLine Data Scientist Stephen Oh crunched the percentages for the Bengals with him out.
If Burrow missed the season
| Cincinnati | Wins | Win% | Division | Playoff | Conference | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burrow 100% | 10.1 | 59.4% | 41.3% | 67.9% | 12.2% | 6.4% |
| Burrow Out | 7.8 | 45.9% | 11.1% | 25.2% | 2.4% | 1.1% |
| Difference | -2.3 | -13.5% | -30.2% | -42.7% | -9.8% | -5.3% |
The AFC North would look significantly different as well.
Joe Burrow healthy
| Burrow healthy | Wins | Win% | Division | Playoff | Conference | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 10.1 | 59.4% | 41.3% | 67.9% | 12.2% | 6.4% |
| Ravens | 9.8 | 57.6% | 31.8% | 61.3% | 7.5% | 3.5% |
| Steelers | 8.6 | 50.6% | 17.1% | 40.1% | 2.9% | 1.2% |
| Browns | 7.9 | 46.5% | 9.8% | 24.4% | 1.3% | 0.4% |
Joe Burrow out
| Burrow out | Wins | Win% | Division | Playoff | Conference | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens | 10.2 | 60.0% | 47.8% | 70.7% | 9.8% | 4.9% |
| Steelers | 9.0 | 52.9% | 26.7% | 48.9% | 3.8% | 1.5% |
| Browns | 8.1 | 47.6% | 14.4% | 30.5% | 1.7% | 0.6% |
| Bengals | 7.8 | 45.9% | 11.1% | 25.2% | 2.4% | 1.1% |
The Bengals are Super Bowl contenders with Burrow. Without him, Cincinnati is in serious trouble of repeating as division champions. Fortunately, he should be back on the field soon after he recovers from the calf strain.
Go to Source
Author: Jeff Kerr
July 29, 2023 | 5:17 pm
