feature-image

USA Today via Reuters

feature-image

USA Today via Reuters

The NFL has a long history with injuries and victories, and with déjà vu. The Cincinnati Bengals are stuck in déjà vu territory recalling their time on-field during the last season. Rocking a 0-2 record as they head into Week 3, last year, they were taking hits from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys all around at this exact point. Fast forward to today, and they’ve got the Los Angeles Rams to face next for a Monday Night Football showdown.

Terrell Owens holding Dude Wipes XL

And the Bengals are desperately trying to avoid that dreaded 0-3 start. But there’s a twist to their tale this time around—Joe Burrow‘s health. Week 2 threw us a curveball when he tweaked his already injured calf. Here, the big question remains, is he playing? It’s a game-time decision that’s got fans and players biting their nails.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

ADVERTISEMENT

The Burrow-meter: Is he in or out?

As the Cincinnati Bengals prepare for their next match, it finally looks like the Burrow-meter is pointing in the right direction. If there are no more surprises, the star quarterback is ready to get back on the ground for the third game of his team. And senior ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter has quite a take on the Bengals’ QB dilemma.

Appearing on the ‘Pat McAfee show’, the NFL reporter said about the footballer’s appearance, “If they promote a quarterback at 4’o clock he’s not playing. If they don’t promote a quarterback, he is playing.” Previously, Burrow suffered a calf injury during the preseason, causing him to take a step back from the game.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, the QB champ, who recently signed a record $275 million deal to stay with the team, was ready to go in Week 1. But in Week 2, his calf flared up. Though all the concerns of the injury continue to factor in, the focus here lies on the entry of the QB to the side for the game against Rams.

ADVERTISEMENT

The backup quarterback Jake Browning is the name that comes up as the replacement of Joe Burrow if the injury did keep him sidelined. And looking at his condition going off field a few days back, the likeliness of this replacement seems quite high.

Read More: Travis Kelce to Get Married? Four Key Family Members of Chiefs TE as Taylor Swift Steals Momma Kelce and Kansas City’s Heart

ADVERTISEMENT

Burrow’s playing status: A gridiron gambit

There is a lot of friction regarding Burrow’s playing status in their week 3 clash. While one half of the group is worried that rushing Burrow back into action could turn the gridiron superhero into a sideline spectator for the long haul, the other group remains concerned about the situation of the Bengals without his presence on the playing team.

ADVERTISEMENT

Undoubtedly, both the groups got a point to make here. Burrow wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders, and he left many spectators with their hearts in their throats after re-aggravating that injury. And on the other side, his team seems in a desperate need for their star QB to make an impactful comeback.

article-image

USA Today via Reuters

It is clear that if the Bengals tumble to 0-3, they are in the danger zone. And these are some high-stakes odds, only six out of 251 teams that started 0-3 ever clawed their way into the playoffs in the Super Bowl era. Thus, Bengals’ fate this season is hanging by a mere thread here. With that, will Burrow roll the dice, or will the Bengals play it safe? Stay tuned, because this drama is just getting started!

ADVERTISEMENT

Watch This Story: Overcoming Twisties, Not Simone Biles but Another Gymnast Sends a Message From World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Jhelum Mehta

494 Articles

Jhelum Mehta is an NFL content analyst at EssentiallySports. Having started her journey as a writer, she harbors immense knowledge when it comes to the game of touchdowns and tackles. Her current position at ES allows Jhelum to formulate a gripping analysis of live matches that 'pocket' her perspective pieces and help assemble engaging articles. On account of this, Jhelum has been able to statistically armor her articles and also procure a couple of ‘Editor's picks’ under her belt. Despite the diversity of the articles she has covered, Jhelum predominantly reports on the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs, which also remain an integral theme of her off-court pieces. Away from the enthusiasm and passion of the gridiron, Jhelum devotes her time to crafting stories and "quarterbacking" new dance moves.

Know more

Edited by

editor-image

Aazima Basharat

ADVERTISEMENT