After more than two months on the sidelines due to a turf toe injury that required surgery, Joe Burrow made a triumphant return to the field, throwing two touchdown passes in a decisive 32-14 victory against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night.
During the game, Burrow showcased the skills that the Cincinnati Bengals have sorely missed for the past nine games. One highlight came when Burrow stepped up in the pocket and delivered a perfectly placed pass to wide receiver Andrei Iosivas, who caught it in stride for a touchdown. Burrow celebrated the achievement by yelling in excitement and bumping helmets with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.
Burrow completed 24 of 46 passes for 261 yards, with those two touchdowns and no interceptions, marking a significant moment in his recovery journey that began back in September. “There”s no better feeling than that — putting in work for a long time and going out and it paying off,” Burrow expressed after the game.
The victory allowed the Bengals, now at 4-8, to snap a four-game losing streak and secure their first win over the Ravens (6-6) since the 2022 postseason. Despite the strong performance, Burrow and the offense initially struggled to find their rhythm, failing to score a touchdown on their first four red zone attempts, including a sequence where they were halted on four consecutive plays inside the Ravens” 2-yard line.
However, key connections with Ja”Marr Chase, who had 100 yards receiving by the end of the third quarter, helped keep the offense moving. Burrow noted that he felt more comfortable in the second half, stating, “The whole first half, my feet were a little antsy back there. In the second half, I felt a lot more comfortable started putting them where I wanted to.”
A pivotal moment in the game came when Burrow lofted a pass to tight end Tanner Hudson, who made an impressive one-handed catch just before stepping out of bounds in the end zone, extending the Bengals” lead to 19-7. “You felt the confidence in the entire team when we had a chance to create some separation for ourselves there,” said Bengals coach Zac Taylor about the significance of that play.
Burrow”s performance was aided by a plate in his left shoe, which he tested during pregame warmups with quick sprints and directional changes. Throughout the game, he had several opportunities to assess his surgically repaired toe, making eight throws on the run. According to Next Gen Stats, six of those attempts, where he moved at least eight miles per hour, resulted in completions for 55 yards and a touchdown.
Reflecting on his recovery, Burrow shared, “I was a little more mobile than I expected to be to be honest, so that felt good. We got a good system on the sideline of changing shoes out and doing what I need to do to stay fresh, so we”ll continue to do that.” After the game, he took a moment to discuss the challenges he faced during his recovery, acknowledging, “It hasn”t been easy on me through six years from a lot of different angles, but I”ve worked really hard to put myself in position to be back out there.”
Burrow”s determination and the support from those around him were evident as he expressed pride in his return. “There”s been a lot of discussions and a lot of time in the training room and just a lot that has gone into this. And I”m proud to be back,” he concluded.
