After a Week 11 loss, the Cincinnati Bengals are in dire straits when it comes to making the playoffs. Their 34-12 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers put the Bengals at 3-7 and three games behind in the AFC North.
While Joe Burrow is working his way back from injury, his return could come once it’s too late. If that happens, will the Bengals still start him?
According to two ESPN NFL insiders, the Bengals’ plan with Burrow doesn’t revolve around their record, more so with his health. Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano revealed the Bengals’ plan with Burrow, and it’s not a passive one.
Bengals’ Joe Burrow plan revealed by ESPN insiders
“The Bengals plan to give Burrow more work in practice this week than he got last week.” Graziano writes. “… A lot of the answer here will depend on how his toe responds to the work he’s getting in practice. But from what I’ve been told, so far, so good.”
This is an encouraging sign for Burrow. Not only are the Bengals increasing his workload in practice, but his toe is reacting well to the increased stress.
Time will tell how his toe continues to react in the next week or so. The Bengals are ramping up his workload, and Burrow is eager to get back, according to Fowler.
“What appears clear is Burrow wants to play football, record be damned.” Fowler writes. “Whether he actually plays remains to be seen — the team will have something to say about that — but he’s of that mindset right now.”
More: Bengals’ Zac Taylor reveals key Joe Burrow update ahead of Week 12
Burrow wants to come back and play for the Bengals, and while Fowler alludes to the Bengals having some say in whether Burrow will actually return or not, Zac Taylor and the coaching staff are certainly hoping for his return.
“I still expect them to get him back on the field,” Graziano writes, “because this coaching staff might need to win some games to feel fully comfortable about keeping jobs.”
If the Bengals coaches believe there’s a chance they could be fired if they don’t perform better down the stretch, then Burrow’s return wouldn’t face obstacles from the coaching staff or the player. In such a scenario, Burrow’s return would seem likely.
The main issue for Burrow is that his toe reacts to his increased workload in practice. He could be shut down if he suffers a setback, but as long as he’s good to go, the Bengals are seemingly planning to bring him back, regardless of their record or playoff chances.
