No matter who ends up winning the Ravens-Bengals Week 11 game, one team will emerge victorious: the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The reason is not exactly one to get excited about. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow left Thursday night's matchup in the second quarter after appearing to injure his wrist on a touchdown throw. He was in visible pain on the field, headed into the locker room, and was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the game.
No details have come out about Burrow's wrist issue, and the Bengals will likely be selective in what they want to divulge to the media after the game.
With the pending uncertainty surrounding Burrow's availability, the Steelers would certainly like to play against Jake Browning instead of the 2021 Comeback Player of the Year. Depending on the severity of Burrow's wrist injury, they very well could.
Pittsburgh will face Browns' backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in Week 11, as Deshaun Watson was recently ruled out for the remainder of the season. Then, the Steelers could face another backup in Browning the following week.
Steelers have a glorious chance to gain a foothold in the AFC North
The Bengals are currently limping toward a loss in the wake of Burrow's injury, down two scores in the fourth quarter of the Ravens game.
Even going into the matchup, Burrow arrived in Baltimore with a hand or wrist brace, suggesting the star quarterback could have been dealing with an issue prior to his mid-game injury.
As bad as it sounds, the Bengals' loss is the Steelers' gain. And the Browns, too, for that matter. Entering Week 11, every single AFC North team held a winning record. Even if the Ravens separate themselves from the pack with a win on Thursday, the Bengals will fall further behind and give the 6-3 Steelers a precious opportunity to take advantage of their next few matchups. One of which happens to be against the potentially Burrow-less Bengals.
T.J. Watt can't wait. Neither can the hordes of Steelers fans who suddenly see a ray of hope parting the clouds. The football gods have indeed been kind to Pittsburgh this season.