T
he Cincinnati Bengals may need a miracle to come back and win their division, but they at least have their star quarterback back to help those efforts. Injuring his toe in week two and being sidelined for nearly three months, star quarterback Joe Burrow returned to action on Thanksgiving and helped the Bengals come up with a big win over the Baltimore Ravens. Already with eight losses on the year, the Bengals cannot afford to lose any more games if they want to see their playoff hopes stay alive.
And now that Burrow is back, the Bengals’ mission for a playoff spot intensifies. Originally expected to be out until at least December, Burrow returned to practice earlier than expected and was deemed healthy enough to play on Thanksgiving night. As it turns out, Burrow and the Bengals have a special cleat to thank for Burrow’s early return– with the shoe providing extra support for his ailing toe.
Burrow’s Cleat
The cleat, which contains a carbon fiber plate, limits Burrow’s mobility a little bit and is not the most comfortable but considering it allowed him to return earlier, he is content on wearing it. Speaking on the cleat, he says that comfort is not a priority and that protecting his toe is the No. 1 focus.
“The shoe can’t bend,” Burrow said . “It’s because my toe can’t go backward right now, still a little early for that, so just keeps it firm and not bending it back. … These are the (cleats) that I feel like give me enough space and stability to do what I need to do.”
Considering how bad the Bengals’ offense was at times when Burrow wasn’t out there, the Bengals would rather have him have limited mobility with a protected cleat than sit on the sidelines in street clothes. And if the Bengals are able to pull off wins like they did against the Ravens, then there may be hope for them after all.
Burrow’s First Game Back
All things considered, Burrow’s first game back was a very successful one. Finishing completing 24 out of 46 of his passes for 261 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, Burrow did not look like he skipped a beat. Despite looking a little rusty in the first half, where his lack of reps was evident, he eventually settled in and delivered a dominant performance that reminded everyone why Burrow gets the big bucks .
“(It was) really impressive,” offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said . “I think he kind of summarized it the same way I would. (There were) probably four plays in that first half just kind of uncharacteristic misses that looked strange coming from him because we just aren’t used to those. Outside of that, I thought he operated really cleanly. I thought the communication at the line of scrimmage and in and out of the huddle was really good. Then, he was able to extend enough to be a threat and made some big-time throws in the second half.”
Next up for the Bengals is a road game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Dec. 7. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (ET) on Fox.
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