The Calf Question Lingers

And nine other earth-shaking thoughts from the Bengals L

Breaking News:

Cincinnati police have asked the public to be on the lookout for one Joseph Lee Burrow, formerly of Athens, OH, now a part-time resident of PayJoe Stadium. Burrow is a white male, approximately 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, last seen limping off the Cincinnati Bengals practice field on the team’s second day of training camp in July.

In the past, Burrow has been armed and dangerous, though only in a football-quarterback sense. Anyone who thinks they might have spotted Mr. Burrow, please alert the Cincinnati Bengals, who say they aren’t worried but they most assuredly are, and the team’s fans, who are currently considering narrow ledges and hating life.

Well, OK. In This Space Thursday, I suggested that seeing progress in what used to be the Burrow-Chase-Higgins Touchdown Show and Aerial Extravaganza would be as satisfying as a win over visiting Baltimore. Moreso, in fact. Because if that part of the machine is tight, everything else just kind of hums along. We’ve seen that for two years.

Did Sunday qualify as that sort of satisfaction? You be the judge.

The Ravens beat the Men by a worse-than-27-24 score, but Burrow and Friends looked to have righted some ship in the 2nd half, especially on their last drive of the game.

Has Saint Joe been found? Or was that guy you saw at 3 Sunday morning buying beef jerky at the UDF in Sharonville, just someone who looked like Burrow?

The Bengals have shown that an 0-2 start in a 17-game season isn’t fatal. Things could get dicey if they don’t dance in next Monday night’s footlights, though. Oh-and-three is no joke. A blip becomes a trend. The most highly promising season in franchise history turns into a weekly wondering how Burrow’s calf is doing.

Monday is very important in the life of Joe Burrow’s calf. Which is to say, in the life of the universe as we locals know it.

Without further ado. . .

TEN THINGS FROM THE 24-27 TO BALTIMORE. . .