Joe Burrow Has a Diplomatic Response to Whether 3-6 Bengals Are a Playoff Team

Joe Burrow is optimistic about the Bengals chances of qualifying for the playoffs considering neither the Steelers nor the Ravens have managed to win games to establish a lead.

Joe Burrow Has a Diplomatic Response to Whether 3-6 Bengals Are a Playoff Team

Joe Burrow (Image via IMAGO/X)

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The Cincinnati Bengals’ 2025 season appeared to be over when Joe Burrow sustained a turf toe injury during their Week 2 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Burrow’s backup, Jake Browning, boasted a proven record of winning clutch games, but his stint lasted three games before the brass decided to bench him.

Out of necessity, Zac Taylor and Duke Tobin took a drastic step. They lured in veteran Joe Flacco from across the state and handed him the QB1 role. Flacco immediately improved the offense. Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and other receivers experienced an uptick in their production.

Flacco guided the Bengals to a memorable victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, hinting at a potential turnaround for the season. The Bengals’ 32nd-ranked defense let the team down. Despite averaging 30+ points in the offense, Taylor watched his team surrender the lead in the final moments on three separate occasions.

This left the Cincinnati franchise with three wins out of nine games heading into the bye week. Amidst the doom and gloom, the Bengals received positive news on their star quarterback.

Joe Burrow underwent surgery not long after ending up on injured reserve to fix the ligaments in his leg. Doctors prescribed him at least three months of rest for a complete recovery. Instead of taking time off for rehab, Burrow kept himself involved by attending team meetings.

On Monday (November 10), the 28-year-old sharpshooter returned to practice, going through some light drills. Later in the day, he spoke with the media, where a reporter questioned Burrow about the Bengals’ playoff prospects.

Our division [AFC North] is wide open. Pittsburgh is 5-4 at this point. We play them this week. Everything is still there in front of us. It’s very rare that our division looks like this, but it does this year. I think we’ll be at least in it until the end.

Joe Burrow replied

The AFC North, considered the toughest division to win, is wide open even after ten games. At one point, the Steelers appeared to easily win the division when Burrow and Lamar Jackson (the Ravens quarterback) sustained long-term injuries. That has not been the case.

After their recent loss to the Chargers, the Steelers are 5-4. Jackson made his return for Baltimore, leading them to a three-game winning streak, while the Cleveland Browns endured their seventh defeat of the season in New York.

The Bengals can still mathematically qualify for the playoffs. Better yet, they can win the division entirely.

I think it would be very difficult for us to be a Wild Card team at this point. I think our best path would be to win the division.

Burrow said

When will Joe Burrow start for the Bengals?

According to reports, the Bengals opened the 21-day practice window for Burrow on Monday. After successfully convincing the doctors that he’s fully healed, fans might see him back on the active roster by December 1.

Joe Burrow Has a Diplomatic Response to Whether 3-6 Bengals Are a Playoff Team
Joe Burrow (Image via IMAGO)

A few days before that, the Bengals play the Ravens on prime time. When asked how meaningful it would be to return for him by then, Burrow bluntly said, “Very… We’ll see how the next couple of weeks go.“

Injuries have plagued Burrow’s season in the last few years. He played just 10 games in 2023 before sitting out the remaining year due to an injury in his throwing hand.

In 2024, Burrow played all 17 games, leading the league in pass completions (460), passing yards (4918), and passing touchdowns (43). However, the Bengals’ defense let him and the rest of the fanbase down. Eventually, they finished the year with a 9-8 record, which wasn’t enough to qualify for the postseason.

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