The Cincinnati Bengals have found themselves in a difficult position.
After losing to the Baltimore Ravens in primetime, they now hold a 5-5 record and could be without Joe Burrow if his wrist injury is serious.
Even if Burrow does make it back in a timely manner, the hole they have dug themselves into might be insurmountable.
As Peter Schrager recently highlighted, the Bengals are 1-5 against AFC opponents.
A 1-5 record in the conference is going to be a tough hole for Cincinnati to dig out of, with Burrow or without.
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) November 17, 2023
This puts them at a severe disadvantage moving forward, especially with respect to playoff tiebreakers.
If the Bengals have the same record as another AFC team at the end of the regular season, their performance against AFC opponents will be taken into account.
When it comes down to it, the Bengals would be the first team out of the playoff race.
For a team that has won the AFC North for two straight years, and the favorites to win the division heading into the year, this situation is less than ideal.
While having Burrow miss some time will hurt their chances, the Bengals were already in a tough position heading into this game.
This injury has further complicated things, which includes their chances at the postseason.
Fans will anxiously await further news of Burrow’s injury, hoping for a positive outcome from an otherwise scary situation.
If Burrow misses additional time, it will likely be up to Jake Browning to lead this team at QB moving forward.
Will the Bengals overcome all of these odds en route to an unlikely path to the postseason this season?
NEXT: Joe Burrow Reflects On Dealing With Adversity During His Career
