Cincinnati got some good news on the injury front Friday, and it came at the right time with Houston coming to town.
Joe Burrow is set to play Sunday after dealing with a back issue, and Shemar Stewart will also be available as he prepares to make his season debut. Both were full participants in practice on Friday, which clears up the biggest questions for the Bengals heading into a matchup that Zac Taylor has already framed as a heavyweight test.
“It’s going to be all three phases for us, and I think our guys know what they’re signing up for,” Taylor said Wednesday. “We know we got a work cut out for us this week, and it truly will.”
Stewart, meanwhile, sounds ready to finally get into real game action. He said Thursday that he’d like a meaningful workload if the Bengals let him loose.
“I’d like to play a solid 30 (snaps), on the high end,” Stewart said about his workload on Thursday, noting this recovery has been easier than his rookie injuries. “It almost feels normal now.
I've been hit, been getting doubled, running full speed, running to the ball. I mean, everything feels pretty good, so no complaints.”
Not everything broke Cincinnati’s way, though. Defensive tackle B.J.
Hill is questionable after showing up limited on Thursday with an Achilles issue before sitting out Friday. Samaje Perine also did not practice Friday because of an illness.
Houston has its own pile of problems, and the injury report is starting to look ugly. Nico Collins and Jadeveon Clowney both missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, and neither was on the field Friday either.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday that Collins injured his hamstring at practice and doctors “don’t believe it’s serious,” but his status for Sunday is still in jeopardy. A later report added that the Texans Pro Bowl receiver is not expected to play after suffering a Grade 1 hamstring injury Wednesday.
The Texans are already thin in a few spots. Jayden Higgins is done for the season in the receiving corps, Houston has just two healthy linebackers, and starting guard Ed Ingram showed up on Thursday’s report with a groin injury before sitting out Friday as well.
That leaves Sunday’s game with plenty of star power still in question on Houston’s side, even as Cincinnati gets Burrow and Stewart back in the mix. Both teams are among the AFC’s top five contenders, which is part of why this one has been billed as one of the best matchups on the weekend slate.
In Other News...
Bengals May Have Found A Rookie Defensive Spark Already
For a defense that spent much of the offseason under scrutiny, the Bengals got an immediate jolt from a pair of rookies in their Week 1 win over Tampa Bay. Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. both played with the kind of urgency Cincinnati was hoping to see early, and their presence showed up in the kind of moments that can change a game, with the defense helping create four turnovers while holding the Buccaneers to 282 yards.
Zac Taylor was quick to note how confidently the two linebackers handled themselves and how much command they showed in the middle of the defense. For a team trying to stabilize that side of the ball, rookie contributions are one thing, but rookie contributions that translate into takeaways are another, and Cincinnati will be watching closely to see whether this opening-week spark can become something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Just Caught A Break Before A Tough Trip To Houston
Houston will be missing some of the familiar names that usually make it a difficult place to play, which gives Cincinnati a little extra breathing room heading into a road game that already carried plenty of weight. The Texans have ruled out wide receiver Nico Collins, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and starting guard Ed Ingram because of injuries, thinning out both sides of the ball as the Bengals prepare for another test away from home.
For Cincinnati, the timing matters because Joe Burrow was limited in practice with back tightness but is expected to play, keeping the offense on track for a trip that now looks a bit less daunting. Houston will have to sort out its lineup with Kayshon Boutte and Dalton Schultz expected to take on bigger roles, and the Bengals will be watching to see whether the absences up front and on the edge create an opening they can press early. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Rookie Cashius Howell Is Drawing The Kind Of Praise Fans Notice
Cashius Howell has already started to make a quiet impression in Cincinnati, and for a rookie trying to carve out a role on the defensive line, that matters. The Bengals edge rusher recently talked about how the jump from Bowling Green to Texas A&M was a major adjustment, which makes the move to the NFL feel like one more demanding step in a career built on climbing levels the hard way.
What stands out now is the early feedback from inside the locker room. Amarius Mims and Shemar Stewart have both offered favorable takes on Howells ability and work habits, the kind of praise that tends to travel quickly around a team and stick with fans who are watching for signs of which young players can help soon. For a Bengals defense looking to add more dependable pieces up front, Howells early reception is worth keeping an eye on. [Read more 🡒]