Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow played through a severe calf injury just to prevent the team from falling to 0-3. With a shot to improve to .500 after the first four weeks, it appears Burrow is getting healthier.
The 26-year-old missed all of the preseason after suffering a calf strain early in training camp. While he played in Week 1, the Pro Bowl quarterback aggravated his calf injury in Week 2 and it put his status for Monday Night Football in doubt.
Related: NFL coverage map Week 4
- Joe Burrow stats 2023: 55.4% completion rate, 2-2 TD-INT, 66.2 QB rating, 4.7 yards per attempt, 187.7 passing yards per game
Burrow played through the discomfort, but it clearly impacted his performance and the effectiveness of the Bengals’ offense. Through three games, Cincinnati ranks 28th in scoring (15.3 points per game) and Burrow’s completion rate, yards per attempt and quarterback rating have all plummeted. Fortunately, there’s hope in Cincinnati.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Burrow had his best week of practice of the season leading up to Week 4. Team sources said his calf is starting to feel better and there is more confidence the offset is “close to ready to take off.”
Importantly, though, the Bengals’ source also noted that the team won’t get its true answer until after kickoff on Sunday. Since playing with the calf injury, Burrow has struggled to move around the pocket and extend plays. If he’s able to do that even slightly in Week 4, it would be huge for the Bengals’ offense.
- Joe Burrow career stats: 67.3% completion rate, 84-33 TD-INT, 97.9 QB rating, 7.5 yards per attempt, 274.2 passing yards per game
Related: NFL QB rankings
Cincinnati has a perfect opportunity on Sunday to turn things around offensively. Entering NFL games today, the Titans’ defense has allowed the fifth-highest average QB rating (108.7) with a 72 percent completion rate and 275.3 passing yards allowed per game.
All of this sets up favorably for the Bengals’ offense. It will be especially crucial for Borrow to be more effective on Sunday because of Tennessee’s defense. Allowing just 69.3 rushing yards per game this season and only 2.6 yards per carry, Tennessee can shut down Joe Mixon and force a hobbled Burrow to win this game on his own.