Things started off strong for the Cincinnati Bengals in their pursuit of winning their sixth game of the season and first in the AFC North when they took a 10-7 lead over the Baltimore Ravens with 5:49 left in the first half.

However, just seconds later, fans, coaches, and teammates quickly saw Burrow clutching his right hand/wrist, and soon, everyone would see the Bengals franchise quarterback grimace in pain and fail to be able to throw a practice toss on the sidelines.

With Burrow running into the locker room, all eyes turned to backup Jake Browning, who would be playing in only the second NFL game of his career.

The Ravens' defense had placed pressure on Burrow and increased their pressure, with Browning now behind center.

At the same time, Lamar Jackson was getting help from his running game, receivers, and official calls against the Bengals, as they turned the score around while posting 405 yards of offense, with Jackson going 16-of-26 for 264 yards in the air with two touchdowns and Gus Edwards adding 62 yards on the ground with two scores. Add in the first 100-yard receiving performance by Odell Beckham Jr. since the 2021 season, and things looked bleak for the Bengals overall.

Browning was serviceable, going 8-of-14 for 68 yards and a touchdown toss to Ja'Marr Chase late in the game, and Joe Mixon would carry 16 times for 69 yards and a 4.3 yards per carry average while also adding 31 yards receiving on five catches, including a touchdown.

But in the end, all eyes and questions surrounded Burrow and how bad the injury will be going forward. While Burrow was not the only Bengals player to go down on the night, he is the straw that stirs the Bengals' offensive drink, and as everyone saw at the start of the season, without a healthy Joe Burrow, the Bengals have yet to show they can be a team to consider one of the top in the NFL.

Dave Lapham joined Dave Berk in a special postgame call following the game to give his opinion on Burrow's injury, the team's performance, and the direction the Bengals will need to go if they want a chance to make the playoffs in 2023.

In The Trenches with Dave Lapham is presented by First Star Logistics. 

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