One Metric Shows Just How Much Joe Burrow’s Injury Hurt the Bengals in 2025

CINCINNATI — The Bengals felt like one of the most injured teams in the NFL last season, and the numbers tell a similar story. According to Sports Info Solutions, Cincinnati lost the ninth-most Total Points (160) due to players missing games with injury last season.

Joe Burrow and Trey Hendrickson each missed about half the season in their own right, with the roster losing 161 total games played to injury and 160 Total Points overall.

The site explains Total Points as follows: Total Points is a measure of how valuable each player was to their team’s ability to score or prevent points, using Expected Points Added as the currency. Dozens of charting data points go into it: an offensive lineman blows a block, a receiver drops a pass, a defender makes an unlikely tackle, a quarterback throws into a tight window, etc. All of these successes and failures can be measured in terms of how the team’s results changed relative to what we’d expect on average, and those play-to-play values can be bundled up into a single measure of player value that can work across all positions.

The NFL is a war of attrition, and the least injured teams are often left standing at the end. This season is no different, with New England (fewest Total Points lost to injury) and Seattle (third fewest) vying for the Super Bowl crown in a few weeks.

The injury losses shouldn't excuse a static offseason in the next few months if that happens, but it clearly shows a major reason why Cincinnati missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

The Bengals' director of player personnel is hoping for better health this fall.

"It depends on which side you talk about. We have emerging talent on defense," Tobin said earlier this offseason. "I don’t think we’re there. I think we have guys who can grow into being there. On offense, I’d put our talent up against any team in the league. It’s better than most. We’ve got to stay healthy, produce, and not score nine times for our opponent. I’d put it up against any team in the league. We feel like we’re a championship-caliber team. We’re 6-11. I’m 6-11. How could you feel that way? You’re an idiot. That’s the way I feel."

Check out the full numbers from SIS here.

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