Joe Burrow racked up 820 passing yards, nine touchdowns and two losses to the Ravens last season, but the Bengals are planning to give him another shot at their AFC North rival on Thanksgiving night.
Burrow is set to play for the first time since Week 2 and has cleared medical hurdles to take the field in primetime Thursday barring setbacks this week.
“Anticipate him playing. He looks like he’s in good shape to be ready to go,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Monday.
The Bengals went 1-8 without Burrow, who had surgery to repair a turf toe injury in September.
Cincinnati already ruled out defensive end Trey Hendrickson (hip) and wide receiver Tee Higgins (concussion) for this week’s game. Higgins also missed Cincinnati’s game in Baltimore last season when Ja’Marr Chase picked up the slack with 11 receptions for 264 yards and three touchdowns.
Chase is set to return this week after he was suspended for Sunday’s game at New England due to spitting on Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey.
There was speculation whether the Bengals would put Burrow in harm’s way with the postseason a distant reach from where Cincinnati aligns in the standings at 3-8. But they are only three wins behind the Ravens and Steelers — both 6-5 — and Cincinnati is 2-1 in division games. The Bengals split with the Steelers, play the Ravens twice in a span of 18 days and end the regular season with home games against the Cardinals (3-8) and Browns (3-8).
When the Bengals were fading from playoff contention at this time last season — with a 4-7 record entering Week 13 — Burrow said the Bengals were about to run the table. Cincinnati beat the Denver Broncos on Dec. 28, 30-24, to stay alive in the AFC wild-card race with an 8-8 record. A win in the Week 18 finale over the Steelers (19-17) left the Bengals one win shy of the final spot in the AFC playoffs.
But Taylor hasn’t lost that energy one year later.
“You’ve got one of the greatest players in the world coming back,” Taylor said.
Baltimore swept last year’s season series with 41-38 and 35-34 victories. The Ravens own a four-game winning streak over Cincinnati and haven’t lost to the Bengals at home since 2021.
