It won’t just be the Cincinnati Bengals playing hurt in Tennessee against the Titans on Sunday.
Yes, quarterback Joe Burrow will play through his calf injury. Starting tight end Irv Smith Jr. has also been ruled out, rookie breakout receiver Charlie Jones has been shifted to injured reserve and linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither is questionable.
But the Titans are in pretty rough shape, too.
As noted on the Titans injury report, four players have been ruled out:
- LB Luke Gifford
- DB Elijah Molden
- OL Peter Skoronski
- WR Treylon Burks
Two other players are listed as questionable, but it’s Burks and Skoronski who are the big deals. The former is second on the Titans in receiving and the latter is a top-11 pick and standout who leaves Tennesse starting the same offensive interior that DJ Reader terrorized last year.
So, while it’s only Week 4, one of these teams might need a big showing from backups to scrape out a win.
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