It's no secret to anyone who's been paying attention to the NFL so far this season that Joe Burrow, one of the leagues best young Quarterbacks has struggled. Since Burrow has entered the league has racked up accolades, playoff wins, and even a Super Bowl birth.
Something that can't be said of any Bengals QB since the turn of the century. Now the one thing that has held Burrow and the Bengals back over the last few years has been the protection. Burrow has been under constant pressure since entering the league, with Joe being the most sacked QB in 2021. A year in which the Bengals won a playoff game against the Titans where Burrow was sacked a record tying NINE TIMES! This is the most a quarterback has ever been sacked and won a playoff game. The Bengals won this game solely because of the play by Burrow. Since Burrow's rookie year the cries to protect Burrow have been loud and boisterous. I myself have been caught screaming at the TV, pleading for the Bengals organization to sign or draft anyone ANYONE! To protect Joe Burrow, and while the results haven't been perfect they have tried. The Bengals organization since 2021 have signed or drafted six offensive lineman. This includes the Bengals signing the best offensive tackle in free agency two years in a row. So the organization cares, they see the problem, they are acknowledging it and they are trying their damndest to address it. But it just hasn't worked yet, why? Well first off injuries, the Bengals prized 2022 signing La'el Collins tore his ACL in December of that year. Meanwhile the Bengals other high profile offensive line signing that year suffered an ankle injury in the last week of the year was not able to participate at all in the playoffs. Secondly poor play, even though the Bengals organization has gone out and payed players it hasn't always worked out. Before his injury last year La'el Collins had given up 5 sacks and had a pro football focus grade of 57.9... yikes! Not great for a guy the Bengals were expecting to help keep their young star upright for years to come. But the point I'm trying to illustrate here is the organization is trying they are signing and drafting players with the goal of protecting Burrow. It's not the organization's fault if those players get hurt or don't perform. Infact this year even though Burrow has struggled and can't move like he normally has the ability he's only been sacked four times, good enough for tenth least in the league.
But this year is different the line is protecting Burrow but he still always looks like he's under pressure and he is still underperforming, why? Burrows injury is why, on July 27th Burrow suffered a calf strain in a non-contact practice drill. Burrow would not practice again until August 30th, and not practicing in the preseason is nothing new for Burrow. Joe missed all of the 2022 preseason recovering from an appendectomy, and while the Bengals started slow (starting 0-2) but they quickly recovered and went on to win the AFC North and make it to the AFC Championship. But Burrows injury this year has lingered, Burrow has been pushing himself to get back and certainly has not been right through 4 games. Burrow despite not being 100% has been putting himself out there because he's a competitor and he wants to win. But Burrow coming back not at 100% is bad news, it puts himself and the team at risk. NFL players who rush back are far more susceptible to reinjury than those who take time to heal the right way. So while the Bengals want to win and make the playoffs, if they want to do that long term they need to protect Joe Burrow. In this situation that might just mean protecting Joe from himself. Joe is never going to tell the training staff he can't play, he is always going to push and he is always going to put himself out there. It's the Bengals organization's responsibility to protect Joe Burrow, most of the time that means bringing in and signing players to protect him. But right now this means sitting Joe down, get him off the field rehab him and give him time. This team is still talented enough to win a couple games with Jake Browning at backup. This would have been the perfect week to begin the sitting, but they did not. Joe Burrow has been playing well so far(it's currently the 3rd quarter) but the Cardinals are not a great team, and the risk is still there. Next week the Bengals play the Seahawks and then have a bye. They need to sit Joe next week and then they have the bye to continue rehab, that would be 21 days for Joe Burrow to get healthy before the next game. So not only for your own good, but for the good of Joe Burrow and his long term health please sit him. Make Joe Burrow sit it down and get healthy, protect Joe Burrow at all cost...
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