Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow [dismissed the idea](https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/joe-burrow-im-not-going-to-live-my-life-scared-of-something-happening) that he would have been content to sit out the rest of the season to let his toe injury heal simply because the Bengals were 3-8 going into Thursday’s game against the Ravens and he showed the difference he makes to the team in his return to action.
After a shaky first half, Burrow went 9-of-14 for 96 yards and two touchdowns in the second half of Cincinnati’s 32-14 win over their AFC North rivals. Both of the touchdowns came in a third quarter that saw the Bengals pull away from the Ravens and left Burrow with a feeling of accomplishment about how hard he worked to get back to that situation.
“There’s no better feeling than that,” Burrow said, via a transcript from the team. “Putting in work for a long time and going out and it paying off, there’s just no feeling like going out in front of the world with a group of guys that work really hard to go try and win games. Going out and putting on a good performance and winning that game. Obviously, we have a lot of games left, but we’re going to enjoy this one. We have a mini bye weekend. Everyone’s going to go home and have Thanksgiving with their family, smile and eat, and feel good about it.”
Burrow said he “was a little more mobile than I expected to be” in his first game back and his overall performance will keep some hope alive that the 4-8 Bengals can go on the kind of season-ending run that will allow Burrow to keep playing into January.