The Patriots won’t be facing Joe Burrow after all.
While the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback returned to practice this week as a full participant ahead of Sunday’s game, he’s not going to play according to several reports.
Burrow, who has been out since Week 3 following toe surgery, won’t be activated from injured reserve to take on the Patriots.
The AFC East division leaders will see veteran Joe Flacco, who will be starting his fifth game. Flacco has been dealing with a shoulder injury, but is expected to start. Jake Browning will be the backup.
Burrow had suffered a grade 3 turf toe injury Week 2 and was expected to return in December the earliest.
He was listed as questionable to play against the Patriots on the team’s injury report Friday after being a full participant at practice two of the Bengals three practices this week.
Even though he’s weeks ahead of schedule, the Bengals, who needed to active him off IR to their 53-man roster in order to be eligible to play, will give him more time ahead of their Thanksgiving game against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bengals will also be without star receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who was suspended after his spitting incident with Jalen Ramsey against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week.
On Friday, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said that the quarterback uncertainty hasn’t affected his team.
“It hasn’t (changed anything). The stuff they’ve always done and will do has got to remain the same,” Vrabel said. “Joe (Burrow) is more mobile than Joe (Flacco). Both run the same concepts and same plays and try to get the ball in the same places. We’ll have to be ready for whatever happens Sunday.”
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