...but not for the reasons you think. HE should SIT HIMSELF instead of going out there and try to prove he can play through an injury he obviously can't play through. ZERO CHANCE Taylor would play him unless Joe, himself, gave the ok. Yes Taylor should be the one to decide, but I think Burrow has enough pull to talk ZT out of what, to most, would seem a common sense choice.
Burrow needs to sit out AT LEAST the next two games and get ready for the second half of the season. They still have a good chance at the playoffs because it's so early in the season, but you've got to have a 100% healthy Burrow.

This team is a mess. It's the biggest disappointment I can think of as a Bengal fan heading into the season with huge expectations. We haven't scored a TD yet in the first half through 4 games and the odds of going to the playoffs at 1-3 WITH an injured Burrow? Next to nil..

We could make a book out of the things wrong. Play calling, preparation for a game knowing your putting a QB with zero mobility on the field and defenses ready to blitz him every chance they get and on and on..

But one of the many glaring issues is the coaching for the offensive line. Frank Pollack has been here years and this OL never looked good in any iteration he has coached. Why is he still here? We pickup Brown this offseason, move Williams to the right side and on paper have a solid OL. Not the best but certainly not what we've experienced this first quarter of the season. And yet...he is still here.. the man who wants glass eaters and instead has produced a bunch of ass eaters.

Why isn't something being done about this? Taylors play calling is atrocious and blaming Burrows injury on that is a cop out. Adjust this isn't a new injury. These dinks are a joke and a Pee Wee football team could adjust to the plays called by Zac and company. I won't even get into Zac because he's not going anywhere. Hell Marvin didn't win a playoff game and was here years past his welcome.

So, I'll focus on Pollack, why wont the Bengals see the big issue here and make the change now? It can't get worse.

This is a troubling sign, they got blown out week 1 by the Browns and this week by the Titans. Starting to think teams are really hungry to take it to the Bengals after all of the trash talking.

Why do they always get a free pass from this fan Base? Duke and The Blackburns have been responsible for selecting players for the past decade +. However when anything ever goes wrong it either Marvin or Zacs fault. Their the ones that haven't drafted a decent offensive lineman in 10 + years and their the ones that let All Pro Players go for nothing(Whitorth and Bates).

So the Bengals take a calculated risk and go cheap on backup QB. While it takes the cap numbers down, it's been a huge liability this year.

It's obvious that Burrow is struggling.

If we had a better backup, we'd likely be less hesitant to play the backup qb.)

At this point, it's more than Joe not having the ability - it's that this team is at an actual disadvantage when he's out there.

Teams are game planning to take advantage of his deficiencies. They are blitzing more than ever, stacking the box, playing press man coverage, jumping at the line to bat the quick passes and get in passing lanes, and wrecking the interior or the OL. They know he can't move and that we are trying to get the ball out quickly.

Running him out there at this point isn't just about him not being able to make plays. It's putting THE TEAM at a disadvantage. It's asinine and irresponsible by ZT at this point. I get that Joe wants to play, BUT DO YOUR JOB ZT AND REEL YOUR PLAYER IN!

That’s right, Bengaldom. The Joe Burrow-led offense with skill players like Joe Mixon, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and Ja’Marr Chase are scoring an average of 10.5 yards per game which is below abysmal. Even if we count the touchdown Charlie Jones ran back against the Ratbirds it’s still only 12.25 points per game.

Are we playing the 2000 Baltimore Ravens every week? I think not. If memory serves, Marvin Lewis’ defense only allowed about ten points per game that year. Now, everyone bullies the Bengals. Joe Burrow is getting hit way too often and he has almost no time to throw. Deep balls take four seconds in the pocket while the plays develop — and don’t get me started on the lack of blocking on bubble screens.

I am of the firm belief it is long past time to make some much needed coaching changes on the offensive side of the ball. This is pathetic.

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2023/9/29/23895065/cincinnati-bengals-broken-offense-joe-burrow-injury-zac-taylor

Written before today’s game

Yes, please start AJ McCarron against the Angry Birds; or maybe start Jake Browning. As long as Joe Burrow is not starting next week I will feel infinitely better about the Cincinnati Bengals.

Joe needs to heal because it’s painfully obvious his right calf isn’t good. He can’t run, he can’t move around in what pocket is there, and he can’t push off and step into his passes. Inaccurate and immobile are not good quarterback qualities and the parallels I see with Andrew Luck scare me.

There are 275 million reasons to sit Joe Burrow. He IS the long term solution here in Cincinnati and he needs time to get back to 100% health.

#Bengals WR Tee Higgins, who was declared out today, suffered a rib fracture, source said. Could keep him off the field for a bit.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 1, 2023