So … will the New England Patriots see Joe Burrow after all?
That possibility seemed very unlikely after the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback suffered a toe injury in Week 2 that required surgery and was expected to sideline him at least three months. While Burrow returned to practice in a limited capacity on Monday, Nov. 10, he’s just 10 days into his 21-day window to return to action.
On Wednesday, however, Burrow was a full participant in Cincinnati’s practice, taking reps with the first-team offense as current starter Joe Flacco rested a sore right shoulder.
Head coach Zac Taylor has insisted he’s yet to make a definitive decision on whether Burrow will play Sunday against the Patriots. But Taylor also hasn’t ruled Burrow out, telling Cincinnati’s 700WLW on Thursday morning, “I’m not there yet,” regarding Burrow’s status.
If you ask our Patriots Insider Phil Perry, Taylor’s noncommittal answer and Burrow’s presence on the practice field both suggest that No. 9 could suit up Sunday.
“That’s not a ‘no’ (from Taylor), so the possibility is still very real,” Perry said Thursday morning on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Hardy. “I would personally be very surprised if he doesn’t play.”
Perry’s point: The Bengals are creating the external expectation that Burrow is healthy enough to play, and would be letting down their players and their fanbase if they now decide to sit him.
“After practicing in full on Wednesday, and now the entire world knows he was able to practice in full — there’s video out there of him not exactly practicing, but warming up and running all over the field. It looks like he’s moving fine,” Perry added.
“I don’t think you can do that and then tell your players and fan base, ‘Actually, no, not yet. I know the season sucked. We’re gonna rest him another week.'”
Cincinnati is 3-7 after losing three straight games with Flacco under center, and one more loss essentially would eliminate the team from playoff contention. So, it’s possible that desperation leads the Bengals to roll out Burrow with the hope that he can engineer a miraculous late-season turnaround.
Even if Burrow returns Sunday, however, he’d be in a very difficult spot. If he can somehow pull off an upset against a 9-2 Patriots team that has won eight games in a row, he’d have just three days off before facing the rival Baltimore Ravens on the road on Thanksgiving night.
The Bengals then travel to Buffalo to face the 7-3 Bills in Week 14, then have another game against the Ravens in Week 15.
A realist might look at that stretch and conclude Cincinnati’s season is already cooked. Burrow is one of the best QBs in the sport, however, and might be their only hope of salvaging what looks like a lost season.
