The Cincinnati Bengals, led by Joe Burrow, was projected to be one of the Super Bowl contenders before the season kicked-off. They also showcased their commitment to the quarterback by inking him a blockbuster contract that made him the highest-paid player in the NFL, albeit the aftermath of all these efforts and excitement weren’t as satisfactory.
Burrow started the 2023 season with the highest completion percentage for a career in the league’s history, and now, he is no longer near this former record. The injury-plagued veteran has also failed to push his team to the upper spot of the divisional charts.
When did Joe Burrow injure his calf?
Burrow strained his lower leg muscle during the second day of the training camp and had been out of the session for more than a month to go under proper rehabilitation and resume play in the regular season. In week 1, he showcased no sign of concern, but the misfortune struck him again in week 2 as he aggravated the calf injury.
Following Cincy’s recent game, the signal-caller himself provided an update of the injury saying he is going in the right direction as per ESPN. Initially, it was speculated that the QB’s poor performance was caused by his inability to generate power due to the calf injury. However, he revealed later the problem had been resultant as he resumed the quick-twitch movements allowing him to move around in and escape the pocket effectively.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old vet has been out of the Bengals injury report for the whole week for the first time this season. According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, he is showcasing positive signs to go into the field. Besides physical impediments, the arrival of any player from a serious calf injury also requires huge mental strength, and in Joe Cool’s case, he needs to put in extra effort to get his squad out of the poor streak.
Bengals record sits at 1-3 after week 4
The Cincinnati-based team was rumored to win its third consecutive AFC North title, and now, they are sitting at the last spot of the division with a terrible 1-3 mark. After going down to the Cleveland Browns in week 1, and Baltimore Ravens in the next week, they had hoped to bounce back in the next matchups.
Cincy proved the speculation to be true after securing a victory in the next match against the Los Angeles Rams, but their devastating 3-24 loss in week 4 has been a reminder that the team will not probably be able to gear up themselves this season. They started 0–2 last year as well before winning 12 of their final 14 games of the season.
However, the equation is different this season as Burrow is not at his individual best. He has played 98 percent of the snaps this season but is sitting 32nd in completion percentage while averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. With these stats, he is marked as the lowest in the league for a signal-caller with at least 150 attempts through four games.
The Bengals are preparing to face off against the Arizona Cardinals in the next match. Even if they manage to win the match, the upcoming campaigns against the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and Buffalo Bills will be much more challenging for them.
Do you think that Burrow’s team will be able to secure victories in these matches? Tell us in the comments.
