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Joe Burrow shook his head, screamed and jogged to the locker room because the pain in his right wrist wouldn’t allow him to throw a football on the sideline.
Burrow is no ordinary QB, however. He’s the franchise for Cincinnati.
With him, the Bengals were Super Bowl contenders. They’ve won consecutive division titles and an AFC crown. Without him, they have no chance.
Aaron Rodgers. Kirk Cousins. Anthony Richardson. Daniel Jones. Deshaun Watson. Now Burrow.
Burrow exited Thursday night’s game in the second quarter, a devastating blow for the Bengals, who went from leading the Baltimore Ravens 10-7 with their star player to losing 34-20.
No matter how much the NFL tries to protect quarterbacks, they’re going down at an alarming rate.
“It’s not a fluke,” Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Friday.“Defensive rushers are getting faster, leaner, quicker.
I also think you’re seeing injuries at offensive line, so you’re playing sometimes your second, third or even fourth guy that doesn’t have, and it’s nothing against them, they just don’t have that experience obviously.
We know it’s a violent sport, we try to do everything we can by rule, number one, and by protection to protect the quarterback. Sometimes they’re going to be exposed, especially when they’re runners or they’re mobile and can move around. You don’t ever want to see it, it can definitely affect your team moving forward.”
The New York Jets lost Rodgers in Week 1 when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon on the fourth play of his first game with his new team. The Jets (4-5) haven’t recovered.
Their offense has been dismal with Zach Wilson. Rodgers is aiming for a return in mid-December, but New York could be out of the playoff race by then.
