Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Bengals QB Joe Burrow still on 'voice rest' ahead of Week 7

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 10/20/21

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is focused on playing in Week 7, but the lingering effects of the injury he sustained in Week 5 are still very present.

ESPN reported Wednesday that the second-year QB is expected to start Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens but continues to be on "voice rest" as he continues to recover from the throat contusion he sustained against the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 10.

"The doctors said he should rest a little bit more, so that's what we're going to do," Bengals coach Zac Taylor told the media Wednesday when Burrow missed his media availability for the second straight week.

No doubt Burrow is doing everything in his power to be able to play the Ravens on Sunday given they walloped the Bengals 27-3 and 38-3 last season. The LSU product revealed as much in a statement on Wednesday.

Joe Burrow offered a statement on his throat and his recollections on the 27-3 loss in Baltimore last season and how experience helps him this year. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/smV1VWcpE0
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) October 20, 2021

Burrow played through the pain in Week 6 as his team defeated the Detroit Lions 34-11 and improved to 4-2 on the season. He then went to the hospital for precautionary reasons following his postgame presser.

The high noise level at Baltimore's M&T Stadium could potentially challenge Burrow and affect how much his teammates can hear him. Taylor believes the volume will encourage the rest of the team to read Burrow's lips and allow him to rest his ailing throat.

"Whether we're doing crowd noise (at practice) or periods we don't, those guys gotta be locked in in the huddle and really intent, looking at his lips," Taylor said. "Because it's going to be noisy on Sunday."

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