For one of the few times all season – maybe the only — the NFL injury report on a Wednesday actually mattered this week.
News broke that Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow, who was not expected to return from until Thanksgiving at the earliest, was a full participant at Bengals practice. Meanwhile, his fill-in, veteran Joe Flacco, was limited with a shoulder injury.
Does Burrow’s presence mean anything for Sunday’s battle with the struggling (3-7) Bengals?
Well, yes … and no.
Cincinnati will be without suspended wideout Ja’Mar Chase, and the best defender on a defense that has basically stopped nobody, Trey Hendrickson will also likely miss the game with an injury.
Still, as he hit the podium on Wednesday, Pats coach Mike Vrabel was sure to laud the opposition.
“You’re not going to trick them. You’re going to have to cover them, and beat them. Rush them, the ball comes out quick,” said Vrabel of the Bengals’ offense with Flacco calling the shots.
“He knows what he wants to do and knows where he wants to go with the ball.
“We’ll have to defend them. Whether that be (Chase) Brown or (Tee) Higgins or anybody else, it’s just a big challenge offensively.”
Just practicing, unless Bengals coach Zach Taylor says otherwise, will mean extra study and more work for a Patriots defense that will be without it’s best player, Milton Williams, who was placed on injured reserve this week with a high ankle sprain.
Defensively, the work load and pressure on the Patriots secondary could be stretched without Williams’ creating havoc in the pass rush.
Corners Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones, along with the safeties will be in the spotlight this week.