The Cincinnati Bengals are putting the final touches on their preparations for their Week 2 action against the Houston Texans, but in the buildup to this game, all eyes have been on star quarterback Joe Burrow. Throughout the week, Burrow has been nursing a back injury that threw his status for this game up in the air.
Despite publicly saying he would play, Burrow was questionable heading into this game, with third-string quarterback Josh Johnson getting elevated from the practice squad to the active roster on Saturday. Despite Cincy’s precautions, Burrow’s proclamation came true, as he is good to go for the team’s upcoming contest.
Joe Burrow Active for Bengals’ Week 2 Action
The Bengals have become notorious for getting off to slow starts during the regular season in recent years, but Burrow led his team to a strong win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. His numbers weren’t otherworldly (25/35, 254 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT), but compared to what we have seen in years past, it was a step in the right direction.
Concern about Burrow’s Week 2 status arose after he was limited at practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a back injury. Burrow practiced fully on Friday, but that wasn’t enough to get him removed from the injury report, as he carried a questionable designation into this game.
The addition of Johnson to the active roster was further cause for concern, but the Bengals remained steadfast that Burrow would be under center to begin the game. Sure enough, Johnson was ruled out 90 minutes before the game as part of Cincy’s inactive list, with Burrow being cleared to take the field alongside the rest of his teammates.
“Bengals QB Joe Burrow, listed as questionable for today, officially is active vs. the Texans,” Adam Schefter of ESPN shared in a post on X.
Joe Burrow, Bengals Looking for Big Win in Week 2 vs. the Texans
On the surface, there was never any real doubt about Burrow’s status, but the Bengals’ actions left the door open for him to be ruled out at the last second. Had he truly been good to go when everyone was saying he was, he would have been off the injury report after Friday’s practice, and Johnson would not have been elevated from the practice squad to the active roster.
At the end of the day, though, the way in which we got to this point ultimately isn’t significant. With Burrow on the field, Cincinnati will have a real shot at taking down a talented Houston team that came up just short in its Week 1 shootout against the Buffalo Bills. Kickoff for this Week 2 clash is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET, and assuming Burrow’s back holds up, the Bengals should have a shot at prevailing in this one.
Bengals Announce Official Week 2 Joe Burrow Injury Decision