The Cincinnati Bengals‘ visit to Texas to face the Dallas Cowboys ended on a bittersweet note. On one hand, Zac Taylor’s squad secured a crucial win in the NFL season that keeps their Wild Card hopes alive. On the other, Joe Burrow faced issues with his left knee, which the quarterback took the time to clarify after the game.
The Bengals wrapped up the game with a solid 27-20 win over an opponent that, while not at their best, remains highly relevant. Naturally, all eyes were on the former LSU player, who had to wear a sleeve on his left knee after taking a hard sack in the fourth quarter.
Once the victory was secured, leaving Cincinnati with a current record of five wins and eight losses, Burrow faced the media and clarified what happened on that specific play: “It’s nothing crazy. I just landed on it a couple of times,” the QB said.
“Probably just a bursa or something. We’ll see. It’ll be sore for a while but I’ll be alright … I was all good, just a little swollen,” he also added.
After their victory over the Cowboys, Cincinnati still holds hope in the AFC North, although the path ahead is far from easy. Currently, the Pittsburgh Steelers sit comfortably in first place, while the Ravens hold the second spot.
The excitement of Zac Taylor after the victory
The victory was crucial for a team that had been experiencing a turbulent season up to that point. Fortunately for them, things went as expected, and once the game was over, head coach Zac Taylor delivered a clear message following the win over the Cowboys in Arlington.
“We hadn’t had this feeling in a while, so we’re gonna enjoy it for the four hours we get to enjoy it before we get back to work tomorrow to get ready for Tennessee,” Taylor stated.
“We needed this feeling because those last three locker rooms haven’t been like this. Just to feel that joy and the week’s worth of work has paid off for you,” he also added. “We got one, and now we’ve got to go do it again.”
What’s left for the Bengals as they head toward the finish line?
With the hope of securing as many wins as possible as the season comes to a close, the Bengals still have four games remaining, which could be crucial in their quest for a potential Wild Card spot.
Next weekend, they will travel to Tennessee to face the Titans, while on Sunday, December 22, they will host the Cleveland Browns at home.
The last two games could be crucial for the team’s playoff aspirations: on Sunday, December 29, they will host the Denver Broncos at home, while their final matchup will be against the Steelers in Pittsburgh.