After a month of speculation, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (calf) will suit up and start Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. The former first-round pick suffered a calf injury early in training camp and was sidelined for several weeks, including the entirety of the 2023 preseason. However, the signal caller delivered good news in his press conference on Wednesday. After practicing in full, the former first-round pick deemed himself “ready to go” for his team’s Week 1 clash with the Cleveland Browns.
After participating in multiple practices this week, Burrow was trending towards playing on Sunday. The timing of his injury helped, with the franchise cornerstone going down in late July, more than a month before the opening weekend of the 2023 season. With the extended period to heal, the news suggests Joe Burrow has put his strained right calf behind him heading into the start of the new season.
Joe Burrow: Week 1 Outlook
Joe Burrow will get another crack at a Cleveland Browns team that has had their way with the quarterback throughout his career. Burrow is 1-4 in his career against his divisional foe and has thrown just four touchdowns against four picks in their previous three meetings. More importantly, the protection has failed Burrow when going against the tough front seven of Cleveland. The LSU product has been sacked 18 times against the Browns, or nearly four times a game. However, the Bengals did emerge victorious in their last clash with the Browns, albeit in a home game. Burrow is 0-2 on the road against Cleveland.
Joe Burrow is fresh off his best season as a pro. The former Heisman Trophy Award winner threw for 4,475 yards and 35 touchdowns against 12 picks. The Bengals won 12 games for the first time since 2015. However, Burrow and Cincinnati fell short of the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game, spoiling their chances at back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. Burrow enters 2023 as one of the betting favorites to take home the MVP.
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