The Cincinnati Bengals send a message to the NFL Thursday night by beating the Baltimore Ravens 32-14.
It was more than a moral victory for a team that ‘improved’ to 4-8, good enough for the third spot on the NFC North.
The good news? They’re still on the pursue of a playoff spot. The Pittsburgh Steelers, currently at the top of the division, are 6-5. Second place? 6-6-. There’s nothing guaranteed for the AFC North, and that’s great news for the Bengals.
A quarterback on a mission
Joe Burrow started a game with Cincinnati after 75 days away from the field due to a toe injury that required surgery during a win on Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The former LSU Tiger came in as the NFL’s all-time completion percentage leader at 68.6% with a healthy lead over Tua Tagovailoa.
It was yet another injury, another year older. He turns 29 years old in 12 days. That’s probably one of the reasons why Burrow seemed to play more emotional, as the former national champion seemed more reflective than ever after the game was over. Burrow now that nothing lasts forever, and he’s well aware of his history of multiple injuries in college football and the NFL.
“I certainly had those moments after the game. Certainly, hasn’t been easy on me through six years from a lot of different angles. So, I worked really hard to put myself in position to be back out there, and a lot of people around me have done the same. Through a lot of discussion, time in the training room, just a lot that’s gone into this, and I’m proud to be back.”
An improbable, but not impossible, comeback
The Pittsburgh Steelers are still the leaders of the AFC North, but things could change from week to week. They hit Thanksgiving Week as the least likely of the 10 legitimate AFC contenders to clinch a playoff berth. But those odds could change drastically if they can beat the Bills this weekend.
The Ravens cannot allowed themselves to lose any more crucial games, like the one against the Bengals. Both teams will face each other again December 14th at Paycor Stadium, a game that’s now a must win if any of the franchises want to have a shot at the Wild Card game on the AFC.
For the Bengals, it’s improbable, but not impossible, to make the playoffs. They will have to beat the Bills on the road next week – a very tough assignment – , then host the Ravens. After that, Cincy will hit the road again and face the Miami Dolphins – one of the worst teams in the AFC -. Cincinnati then will host the Arizona Cardinals and they will finish the season at home against division rivals Cleveland Browns.
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