Cincinnati Bengals coach responds to concerns surrounding Joe Burrow injury

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor says star quarterback Joe Burrow is improving from his calf injury.

Burrow originally sustained the injury during training camp July 27. That led to the fourth-year quarterback being sidelined for the entire pre-season as he spent several weeks in the treatment room.

The first-overall pick from the 2020 NFL Draft has been a vital player for the Bengals since entering the league. Burrow has helped the Bengals reach two AFC Championship games and one Super Bowl, but is yet to win the grand finale.

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Despite it being initially expected that Burrow would be on the sidelines for several weeks and at risk of missing the start to the season, the quarterback has not missed a game in 2023 for the Bengals. The 26-year-old has played in all four of their NFL games this season, going 1-3 to start the season.

The underwhelming start to the year has led to concerns about Burrow’s fitness after recovering from a calf injury. Burrow has made just two touchdown passes and has two interceptions across the four games he has played so far this season.

Taylor was speaking to reporters on Monday where he was asked about Burrow’s availability. The Bengals have a road game against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5 of the NFL season, and Taylor says Burrow will be the starting quarterback for the trip to the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Burrow was unable to prevent the Bengals from falling to their third defeat of the season in Week 4. The AFC North franchise was beaten 27-3 by the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at the Paul Brown Stadium, with Burrow failing to complete a touchdown pass.

The two touchdown passes that Burrow has made this season both came in the Week 2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, while he has been sacked eight times across the four games. Prior to the opening game of the season, Burrow signed a new five-year contract with the Bengals worth $275 million (£228 million) to become the highest-paid player in NFL history.

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The Cincinnati Bengals are already facing a 1-3 hole in the NFL standings with one of the worst offenses in the NFL. Heading into Week 5, things might be on the verge of getting even worse for Cincinnati moving forward thanks to the Tee Higgins injury.

Things looked promising early on Sunday for the Bengals’ offense. On the game-opening drive, Cincinnati covered 72 yards and kicked a field goal to take an early 3-0 lead. It was exactly the kind of fast start the coaching staff and Joe Burrow were hoping for in Week 4.

Cincinnati was shut out the rest of the game, managing just 139 total yards on their final eight drives. Three-and-outs became a recurring theme for the Bengals’ offense on Sunday, going 1-for-8 on third-down attempts outside of their opening drive.

Making things worse for Cincinnati, Higgins left Week 4 with a rib injury and the team ruled him out for the remainder of the game a short time later. While the Bengals are expected to make an official announcement later this week, the early prognosis isn’t promising.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Higgins suffered a rib fracture on Sunday. With a bye in Week 7, there is some belief that Cincinnati will keep Higgins off the field for the next few weeks before clearing him to return on Oct. 29.

If Higgins is sidelined for any length of time, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd still step into the No. 2 role for this offense. He could be vital to Cincinnati considering what has happened to this offense in 2023.

Through the first four games of the season, the Bengals’ offensive line has struggled in pass protection. In its first four contests, Cincinnati allowed eight sacks and 19 QB hits. With Burrow’s calf injury severely limiting his movement in the pocket, the Bengals’ passing attack has been one of the worst in the NFL.