The landscape of the AFC shifted in a major way this week. Just a couple weeks ago, all four AFC North teams were firmly in the playoff picture. Now, it seems unlikely all four will make the postseason, and that’s because of injuries.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson broke a bone in his throwing shoulder, which will force him to miss the remainder of the season, and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a torn ligament in the wrist of his throwing hand, which will require season-ending surgery. With the Browns and Bengals losing their starting quarterbacks, it makes life easier for their rivals — and the AFC at large. Let’s take a look at all the teams that were affected by the recent QB injures in the AFC North.
Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook; Projections from SportsLine data scientist Stephen Oh
Cincinnati Bengals
Losing Burrow is clearly a massive blow to the Bengals. Cincy was already a little behind the eight ball due to its 1-3 start — and while the Bengals rebounded to get to 5-3 — they have now dropped two straight games and just lost their franchise quarterback.
What options do the Bengals have? Jake Browning, who completed 8 of 14 passes for 68 yards and one touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, will likely be the new starter. The Bengals also have AJ McCarron on the practice squad.
The Bengals have some tough matchups to close out the year. In fact, Tankathon says Cincinnati has the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL. The Bengals play the Pittsburgh Steelers twice, the Jacksonville Jaguars on “Monday Night Football” and the Kansas City Chiefs on New Year’s Eve. According to SportsLine’s Stephen Oh, the Bengals’ chances of making the playoffs dropped from 37.6% with Burrow to just 1.3% without him. Cincy’s win percentage dropped 14.1%, and its odds of winning the AFC or the Super Bowl have shrunk to 0.0%.
Playoff…
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