Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor’s decision to keep franchise quarterback Joe Burrow sidelined for Week 12 against the New England Patriots, despite Burrow’s own push to play, underscores the tension between player determination and organizational caution following a Grade 3 turf toe injury.

FOX’s Jay Glazer offered a comprehensive breakdown on FOX Sports about this decision that led to the holdout.

“I remember originally, I told you Joe Burrow told me like, you know, a couple weeks ago. He was aiming for Thanksgiving-ish to come back. Well, he actually pushed to play in today’s game,” Glazer reported.

Even according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, “Burrow and the team have had for quite some time” decided that Thanksgiving was the return date, but Burrow’s competitive instincts created pressure to be in today’s game.

Glazer further added, “During the week, I told you last week, he was going to take some 11-on-11s. Well, they had to expand that because Joe Flacco was hurt. So he took a lot of the first-team reps with the starters.”

While Joe Flacco had been dealing with a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder since the Jets game, Joe Burrow was taking full starter reps against the primary offense. On Wednesday and Thursday, he was a full participant, but then Friday saw him limited. And now, against the Patriots, the Bengals have gone ahead with placing Joe Flacco as the starter.

Glazer provided a clear assessment of the Bengals’ strategy.

“But in the end, the Bengals looked and said, ‘You know what? If he plays today, then it’s just a quick turnaround. Four days after that, probably not enough time. Let’s just err on the side of caution and hold him out for an extra week there.'”

The Bengals’ situation adds a layer to the decision’s urgency. After Burrow went down in Week 2 against the Jaguars, the team initially looked competitive: they won the game he was injured in and held a 3-4 record at one point. Since then, they’ve collapsed to 3-7, losing seven of eight contests.​

Even though Burrow is clearly needed, there’s a secondary organizational concern. Is it worth the re-injury risk if the defense cannot prevent opponents from scoring? Will Burrow’s return fix the defense?

Joe Burrow’s protection becomes a priority as Cincinnati’s defense unravels

Critically, Cincinnati’s defense ranks historically poorly. 32nd in points allowed per game (33.4) and 32nd in yards allowed per game (418.2).  The Bengals’ playoff probability is 2.8%, per ESPN Analytics. Their odds of landing a top-five draft pick sit at 16.1%. The team will be having another matchup on Thursday, so Zac Taylor has made this decision to protect Burrow from himself.

“You play a game on Sunday, then you have another on Thursday; you have to consider all those factors.” He continued, “I need to consider what’s best for him as he recovers from an injury and has been sidelined for an extended period.”

Adding on to this is another major concern: Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals’ star receiver received a one-game suspension following a spitting incident against Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey in Week 11. Removing both your franchise QB and your best pass-catcher puts the Bengals at risk for today, when they will face the Patriots, who are currently holding a 9-2 record.