Eager Joe Burrow Embracing Bengals' Playoff Opportunity After Injury

CINCINNATI — The Bengals are just two games behind the Ravens and Steelers in the AFC North, despite being 4-8 on the season.

They didn't have Joe Burrow for nine games after he suffered a grade 3 turf toe injury that required surgery. The Bengals went 1-8 without Burrow, but they still have a chance at making the playoffs for the first time since 2022.

Would the 28-year-old have signed up for this scenario when he underwent surgery on Sept. 19?

"Yeah of course," Burrow said bluntly. "We have everything in front of us. We just have to take care of business."

He certainly couldn't have predicted that Cincinnati would still be in the AFC North hunt, despite being 4-8. No one thought this division would be so bad. Despite that, the Bengals have a clear path to the playoffs.

They need to win out to get to 9-8. They need the Steelers to lose two of their final five games and they need the Ravens to lose two of their final five games. The good news for the Bengals is they play Baltimore again in Week 15. That means if they handle business, they only need three games to go their way over the next five weeks.

"We pay attention. I think everybody does," Burrow said when asked about playoff scenarios. "But you can pay attention to it and at the same time not let it affect anything about your business and about your day-to-day. None of that matters if we don't go and win."

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Burrow's message was direct and accurate—like his passes. The Bengals need to win, starting on Sunday in Buffalo. If they do that, then they'll give themselves a chance.

If they go out there and lose, then there chances will go out the window. They currently have a 6-9% chance to make the playoffs depending on where you look. Those chances go up to 13-15% if they beat the Bills on Sunday.

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