Burrow shakes off calf injury, leads Bengals past Rams 19-16
CINCINNATI — After missing most of training camp with a calf injury, Joe Burrow is still working his way back into form.
Monday night’s 19-16 win over the Rams, the first by the Cincinnati Bengals this season, went a long way.
The Pro Bowl quarterback shook off the lingering effects of the right calf strain that kept his status in doubt right up until game time. He wasn’t quite as mobile as usual and didn’t record a touchdown pass — but he managed to help the Bengals (12) get up off the canvas.
“I pride myself on my availability,” Burrow said. “There is risk to go out there and potentially reinjure it. But there’s also risk to go out there and be 0-3.”
Burrow finished 26 for 49 for a season-high 259 yards and also threw his second interception this season. His favorite target, Ja’Marr Chase, broke out with 12 catches for 141 yards, although nine different Bengals were recipients of Burrow’s passes during the evening.
Chase’s longest catch was a 43-yarder that came during a third-quarter drive that led to the third of four field goals by Evan
McPherson.
Burrow told Chase during pregame warmup that he was going to play.
“I didn’t want him to play,” Chase said. “It just shows that Joe is hard-headed. But he’s a football player. It takes a lot to be a quarterback and also be injured.
“We needed to get this win,” Chase said. “I was just being there for Joe. All I could do is try to make Joe look good.”
Joe Mixon’s 14-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave the reigning AFC North champs their first lead of the season. Meanwhile, linebacker