Bengals dialed back playbook to prevent Joe Burrow re-injury

Cincinnati Bengals coaches have come under fire after two weeks for apparent play-calling struggles, an idea only amplified by recent comments from star wideout Ja’Marr Chase.

But as some could have probably guessed, Zac Taylor and Co. had pulled back the playbook in an effort to make sure Joe Burrow didn’t put too much stress on the calf injury that cost him most of the summer.

Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic explained:

The staff felt great about the progress of Burrow up until that point. They coaches had limited the game plan to hedge against reinjury risk for two weeks. There were no snaps under center or designed rollouts. The majority of plays centered around quick, timing throws.

Dialing back the playbook and removing staples such as under-center looks and rollouts to move pockets and shift defenses is especially not ideal against AFC North foes like the Browns and Ravens.

And judging by those games, the Browns and Ravens 100 percent knew what was coming.

Yet losing Burrow to another injury is worse.

Burrow said he tweaked the calf late in the loss against the Ravens and Taylor didn’t want to provide an update yet. But with this injury, especially, it might just end up being something he deals with all season.

Now 0-2, the Bengals have to decide whether running Burrow back out there in a predictable, limited offense is worth the risk and it feels like a near-impossible decision to make, barring an unexpected healing development.