Early in coaching camp the Cincinnati Bengals had been dealt a tricky blow with beginning signal-caller Joe Burrow struggling a calf damage. He missed most of camp and all the preseason.
Burrow returned to the observe subject on Aug. 30, and was in a position to take the sector for Week 1. His efficiency within the Bengals’ 2023 season opener in opposition to the Cleveland Browns was as nasty because the climate. Burrow accomplished lower than 50 % of his passes for 82 yards in a 24-3 loss. He was higher in a Week 2, 27-24, loss to the Baltimore Ravens, however would undergo a setback to his well being.
The NFL’s highest paid participant reinjured his calf late within the recreation on Sunday, telling reporters afterward that he felt the tweak through the Bengals’ ultimate landing drive to scale back the deficit to 3 factors.
“We’re gonna have to attend and see, I’m unsure the way it’s gonna really feel within the subsequent couple days,” Burrow mentioned to the media. “It’s fairly sore proper now. No telling the way it’s gonna really feel, so we’re simply gonna must take it daily.”
Burrow tried his finest to be optimistic, however an 0-2 begin to the season accompanied by his coaching camp damage flaring up is a combo that landed flush and has the Bengals wobbly. This staff entered the season with a Tremendous Bowl window that’s quickly closing.
With Burrow signing that large contract, the deep Bengals’ roster gained’t look the identical starting subsequent season. The highway again to the AFC Championship Sport was going to be arduous sufficient for the reason that Bengals play in essentially the most aggressive division within the convention.
Their schedule eases up a bit the following few weeks, however not sufficient to beat Burrow in avenue garments. The Bengals host the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3 and face the Tennessee Titans in Nashville Week 4. An 0-2 begin is much from insurmountable. An 0-4 begin with a gimpy quarterback, nevertheless, might put the Bengals too far behind in standings to make the playoffs.