The Cincinnati Bengals are set to face the New England Patriots without their star quarterback Joe Burrow. The decision comes as a relief for the Patriots' defense, which has struggled to stop the pass this season. Burrow's status was uncertain after he appeared to be cleared to play in Sunday's game earlier in the week.
However, Burrow suffered a setback at Friday's practice and was listed as questionable on Saturday's 4 p.m. deadline. The Bengals ultimately decided not to activate him from injured reserve, citing concerns about his availability for both this weekend's game against the Patriots and Thursday's matchup against the Ravens.
Joe Flacco will take over as quarterback for the Bengals in Burrow's absence. Flacco has been solid since joining Cincinnati in October, throwing for 1,453 yards and 12 touchdowns with a passer rating of 96.2 over five games.
The Patriots are also without star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who received a one-game suspension after spitting at Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey last week. The loss could put additional pressure on the Patriots' defense to contain Flacco, who is expected to play a mobile brand of football with his legs as well as his arm.
New England's head coach Mike Vrabel downplayed the Bengals' quarterback switch, saying that the team will stick to its usual gameplan regardless of who's under center. However, Vrabel did acknowledge that Burrow's mobility might give the Patriots some issues.
Overall, the Bengals and Patriots are set for an intriguing matchup on Sunday, with Flacco potentially giving New England fits as he looks to extend Cincinnati's win streak.
However, Burrow suffered a setback at Friday's practice and was listed as questionable on Saturday's 4 p.m. deadline. The Bengals ultimately decided not to activate him from injured reserve, citing concerns about his availability for both this weekend's game against the Patriots and Thursday's matchup against the Ravens.
Joe Flacco will take over as quarterback for the Bengals in Burrow's absence. Flacco has been solid since joining Cincinnati in October, throwing for 1,453 yards and 12 touchdowns with a passer rating of 96.2 over five games.
The Patriots are also without star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who received a one-game suspension after spitting at Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey last week. The loss could put additional pressure on the Patriots' defense to contain Flacco, who is expected to play a mobile brand of football with his legs as well as his arm.
New England's head coach Mike Vrabel downplayed the Bengals' quarterback switch, saying that the team will stick to its usual gameplan regardless of who's under center. However, Vrabel did acknowledge that Burrow's mobility might give the Patriots some issues.
Overall, the Bengals and Patriots are set for an intriguing matchup on Sunday, with Flacco potentially giving New England fits as he looks to extend Cincinnati's win streak.
This Bengals-Patriots game is going to be a wild card now that Burrow won't be playing 
. I think the Patriots' defense might have gotten lucky by not having to face him, but now it's up to Flacco to make some magic happen 
. The fact that he's been solid since joining Cincinnati is definitely a plus, and his mobile style of play could give New England fits 
. On the other hand, Burrow's mobility was a major concern for them, so I'm curious to see how they'll adjust without him 
. It's going to be an intriguing matchup either way, and I'm excited to watch Flacco try to take on the Patriots' defense 
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. The Ravens are looking fierce too, especially with their tough run defense. Flacco's gonna need to bring his A-game if he wants to keep Cincy on a 4-game win streak 
i mean like he was supposed to play this week but now it seems like the bengals don't want him risking more injuries in the playoffs... poor guy, hopefully he's gonna be back soon 
and flacco is gonna make some crazy plays with his legs running around 
think the pats are in for a tough one on sunday 
i remember when he played for the ravens back in 2013...anyway, Burrows absence might actually help the patriots' defense more than anyone thinks...burrow was killing them with his legs and arm last time they met 
OMG, this is gonna be a crazy game!!! 
. Mike Vrabel's gameplan won't change just 'cause Burrow's out 
. The Bengals are on fire right now and Flacco's been bringin' the heat 
... His team is doing great but now they have to deal with a backup QB and it's gonna be tough 
they're already having issues stopping the pass this season, how are they gonna handle Flacco's mobility? 
benjo burrow being out means the pats defense has a legit chance but i still got faith in cincinnati to bring it 
... can't wait to see how it all plays out on Sunday!
anyway, joe flacco is gonna do the thing and i gotta say i'm kinda excited 2 see how he'll perform as the starter 5 games under his belt 
he's been looking solid since he joined cincinnati and i think he can lead them 2 another win 
! Like, Joe Burrow is a big deal and they're gonna sit him out because of what could be a minor injury 
. Flacco is gonna bring a whole different vibe to the table, his mobility is gonna make it tough for the Patriots' defense. They've been struggling all season and now they gotta deal with this mobile QB who can run for yards too 
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. But at the same time, the Patriots' defense has gotta step up their game if they wanna contain him. It's gonna be a tough one for them, especially with Ja'Marr Chase suspended 
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. The Bengals' win streak is on the line and Flacco wants to keep that going 
. Bring it on Sunday! 
. And with Chase suspended on the other side, the Patriots are in for a tough test 