(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
The Cincinnati Bengals depend on Joe Burrow’s health; that’s just a fact.
Burrow was carted off the field early in training camp with a non-contact injury, and HC Zac Taylor stated he’d be out for several weeks.
There haven’t been many updates regarding his situation thus far, which may not be good news for the organization.
With that in mind, sports analyst Craig Carton recently stated that the Bengals are more likely to miss the playoffs than to reach the Super Bowl next season.
“The Cincinnati Bengals are more likely to miss the playoffs than make the Super Bowl.”
— @craigcartonlive pic.twitter.com/uNSp5ZVDX9
— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) August 10, 2023
Carton has often been skeptical of the Bengals’ chances, so maybe we should take his words with a grain of salt.
Nonetheless, according to SportsLine Data Scientist Stephen Oh (via CBS Sports) and his projections, Carton might be right on point.
The Bengals are projected to win 10.1 games with Burrow on the field, as opposed to 7.8 without him.
That means they’re projected to come out on top of the AFC North with Burrow on the field but could fall all the way to the fourth spot if he’s unable to suit up.
As of now, it seems like Burrow could be in jeopardy of missing just the first stretch of the season if anything, but they have a tough schedule to start the year, and soft-tissue injuries tend to linger for a while.
It’s also worth noting that their division will perhaps be the most competitive in all of football, and the margin for error will be pretty close to zero for all teams playing there.
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