The Cincinnati Bengals came into Week 11 with a chance to make a move in the AFC North, playing against the division rival Ravens on Thursday Night Football. They were looking to bounce back after a tough loss to the Texans, and could have pulled to within a half game of the division lead had they been able to beat Lamar Jackson and company. But they game up short in the contest, losing by a score of 34-20, and they played much of the night without star quarterback Joe Burrow.
Joe Burrow Leaves Game With Apparent Wrist Injury
A glimpse of what Joe Burrow is dealing with on what the team now says is a right wrist injury: pic.twitter.com/nOW3qR0RhR
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 17, 2023
Prior to the game, there was speculation that there was something wrong with Burrow’s right hand. A grainy, zoomed-in image seemed to show a wrap around the QB’s wrist as he made his way off of the team bus, but his name was nowhere to be found on the injury report.
It seems as though he aggravated whatever it was that was bothering him during the game. Early in the second quarter, Burrow threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Joe Mixon, but squatted to the ground and held his wrist in obvious pain after the play. Then, cameras caught him testing the hand on the sideline, showing the ball go limp on a practice throw and Burrow kneel down in pain once again, apparently unable to grip the football correctly.
There was some hope that he would be able to return at some point during the game, and he made his way out of the tunnel and onto the sidelines after halftime. But he put on an earpiece instead of a helmet, and Jake Browning played out the second half when it was reported that Joe Burrow would be out for the remainder of the contest.
Burrow Said He ‘Felt A Pop’
Joe Burrow tells Patrick Queen that he “felt a pop” and “we’ll see.” pic.twitter.com/pazTIWGmdH
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 17, 2023
It is unclear exactly what the ailment is, but Bengals coach Zac Taylor said after the game that the injury was a sprain to the right wrist that Burrow likely suffered when he took a fall to the turf earlier in the game.
But there may be a snippet that makes its way through social media that may give a clue about what the injury was exactly. During the postgame handshakes and meetings at midfield, Burrow was seen telling linebacker Patrick Queen that he “felt a pop”, which was followed by a “we’ll see”.
The issues couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Bengals, as they are fighting for their lives both in the division and in the AFC playoff picture. Coming into the week, they were the team with the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL, and getting to the playoffs will be a serious challenge if Joe Burrow is forced to miss any extended time.
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