On "NFL Live," ESPN's Molly McGrath and Adam Schefter addressed the remarks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow made about the back tightness that limited his participation Wednesday in practice.
"Fans in Cincinnati perhaps panicking just a little bit," McGrath said.
"He was out on the practice field, did not take part in any real throwing," Schefter said. "Sat out, and he talked about the fact that he still expects to play Sunday at Houston against the Texans despite the back tightness. So when anybody in Cincinnati sees Joe Burrow not practicing on the first practice day of the week, you can understand why the cause for concern would be ratcheted up immediately because of all the injuries he's been forced to endure in recent seasons."
"When he's not out there, the team is not the same, and there's reason to worry," Schefter added. "He didn't practice today. He does believe he'll be OK on Sunday against the Texans. If he weren't, Joe Flacco would be out there starting. But right now, Burrow sounded reasonably confident that he should be out there if that back doesn't suffer any setbacks."
Burrow took a hard hit to his throwing shoulder during the first quarter of the Bengals' Week 1 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium.
Burrow was hit by Bucs linebacker Alex Anzalone as he carried the ball out of bounds.
With about four minutes left in the first quarter, Burrow scrambled to the left and was pushed out by Anzalone at the Tampa Bay 11-yard line for a 6-yard gain that gave the Bengals a first down.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Joe Burrow's back gives Bengals reason to worry, per ESPN's Schefter
