Joe Burrow kept working through back tightness on Thursday, and the Bengals quarterback remains on the limited side of practice as Cincinnati heads into a matchup that already looks like a heavyweight AFC test.
Burrow said Wednesday that the issue was unlikely to keep him down for long, and he backed that up with his comments after practice. “It shouldn't really,” Burrow said about the tightness hindering him in a big way this week at practice. “We get a lot of mental reps, and we walk through a lot of plays, so I'll be all right.”
That mindset matters this week more than most. Burrow made it clear Cincinnati knows exactly what’s in front of it, calling it “a big week for us.”
He added, “You have to find that line of aggressiveness, but also understanding what kind of front that they have, and making sure you don't turn a bad play into a worse one. But we'll certainly pick our spots to be aggressive.
They'll give us some opportunities, but you have to pick those wisely.”
The Bengals are staring at what the report described as arguably the best defensive front line they’ll see all season, so Burrow’s health looms large as they head into what was labeled a coin-flip AFC contender matchup.
On the other side, Houston’s injury picture is getting thinner by the day. Wide receiver Nico Collins, dealing with a hamstring injury, did not practice Thursday and is trending toward missing the game unless he makes a rapid return Friday.
The Texans also have major questions up front and at linebacker. The report said Houston is down to essentially two healthy linebackers, while Jadeveon Clowney is working through a knee injury and missed another practice Thursday after being expected to play through it.
Clowney’s return to Houston has already made an impression. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans called his Week 1 sack a special moment, saying, “That was a cool moment.
For Clowney to be back in a Texans uniform, get our first sack of the 2026 season," Texans head coach Demeco Ryans said this week about his mauler's Week 1 performance. "Really special.
Special for him, and we hope to continue to improve that. I like where he started; now we get those guys all rolling together.
Should be a good weapon for us having all three ends out there.”
Houston’s concerns didn’t stop there. Starting guard Ed Ingram is now dealing with a groin injury and could also be in danger of missing the game.
For Cincinnati, Shemar Stewart was a bright spot again Thursday, logging another full practice as he works through a knee issue and appears on track to play Sunday, barring a setback.
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