The Cincinnati Bengals’ field general, Joe Burrow, is currently listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest against the New England Patriots, according to comments made by head coach Zac Taylor on Friday. The Bengals organization has until 4 PM ET on Saturday to officially reinstate Burrow to the active 53-man roster.
Burrow has been absent from the lineup for the past eight weeks, having been placed on injured reserve due to a turf toe ailment sustained during Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his initial pair of starts, Burrow accumulated 189 passing yards and connected for two touchdowns.
Despite initial estimates suggesting a three-month recovery period for Burrow, head coach Zac Taylor refrained from definitively ruling out his quarterback for the remainder of the season. The Bengals initiated the process of returning Burrow from injured reserve on November 10. While Burrow initially aimed for a Week 13 comeback, he has since engaged in full practices and participated in offensive plays with the starting unit, leaving the possibility of him participating this week on the table.
The Bengals have encountered difficulties in Burrow’s absence, posting a 1-7 record in the games he has been sidelined. Taylor initially tapped Jake Browning as Burrow’s replacement. However, after Browning’s 0-3 record as a starter, coupled with instances of failing to reach 150 passing yards in two games and throwing eight interceptions, Taylor decided to implement a change at the quarterback position.
In October, the Bengals executed a trade, sending a 2026 fifth-round pick to their divisional rivals, the Cleveland Browns, in exchange for Joe Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round pick. Flacco commenced his starting role the same week as the trade, with only four days to prepare. To date, he has amassed 1,453 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and three interceptions with Cincinnati this season.
Flacco is coming off what was arguably his least effective performance as a Bengal against the Steelers in Week 11. He completed 23 of 40 pass attempts for 199 yards, one touchdown, and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. The 40-year-old quarterback is currently managing a shoulder injury, which has limited his participation in practice this week.
Despite Flacco’s relatively low turnover rate, the team’s struggles have persisted, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, resulting in a 1-4 record with Flacco as the starting quarterback. The defense has not made things easier for the offense. The Bengals have conceded a league-high 334 points to opposing teams through 10 games this season and are tied for the highest average of 6.3 yards allowed per play.
Regardless of which quarterback starts, they will be without their primary pass-catching target. Ja’Marr Chase will be serving his one-game suspension for spitting on Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey. Chase currently leads the league with 79 receptions, despite playing with three different quarterbacks throughout the season.
While the Bengals have encountered difficulties, the 9-2 Patriots are experiencing a surge in performance. The Patriots are currently riding the longest active winning streak in the league, having secured victories in their last eight games.
