Bengals QB Joe Burrow tweaks calf in Week 2 loss to Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow aggravated a calf injury he suffered in training camp during Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Burrow said his calf was sore after the game, but that the coming days would be more telling regarding how he feels heading into Week 3 against the Rams on Monday Night Football.

“Give it a couple nights, couple sleeps, and we’ll see. We’ll go from there,” Burrow told reporters.

Burrow said he tweaked his calf on the play before Cincinnati’s final touchdown, a 4-yard pass to wide receiver Tee Higgins with 3:28 to play in the game. The Bengals QB was noticeably limping but did not miss any time, and head coach Zac Taylor said after the defeat that the plan was for Burrow to go back in. However, after the QB hit Higgins for the TD that led to Cincinnati cutting its deficit to the final score, Baltimore was able to record a pair of first downs to ice the game.

Burrow strained his calf on July 27 and missed the duration of the preseason and the majority of training camp.

The injury and the subsequent time away might well have led to a lingering soft tissue ailment and rusty play as Burrow and the Bengals fell to 0-2 to start the season for the second consecutive year.

Asked Sunday after the game if he thought the calf could nag him throughout the 2023 season, Burrow had little to offer.

“We’ll see,” he said.

Burrow was a little more forthcoming about the time missed leading to subpar play.

Burrow had perhaps his worst career outing in Week 1, throwing for just 82 yards in a 24-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns. His play and box score improved against the Ravens as he threw for 222 yards and his first two TDs of the season. It still wasn’t to the Pro Bowler’s satisfaction, though.

“When your quarterback misses camp, it’s tough to start fast,” he said.

Whether or not Burrow’s calf slows him throughout the season remains to be seen, but the Bengals and their QB1 are limping away from Sunday at 0-2.