Joe Burrow Injury: Baltimore Ravens' Roquon Smith Reacts with 'Brutal' Take on Bengals QB
The NFL is a brutal game. And maybe that explains why Roquan Smith of the Baltimore Ravens feels it is appropriate to evaluate the season-ending injury to a rival star with a brutal take.
“When you play the Ravens defense,'' Smith said in instant reflection on Week 11's dominant 34-20 victory over Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, "sometimes things like that happen.”
We now know that Burrow, who left the game with a serious wrist injury, is lost to Cincy ... meaning that the Bengals' chance to catch the Ravens in the AFC North might be lost as well. And it is unfortunate in so many ways ... even as Burrow himself is now saying, essentially, "Hey, that's football.''
Is Smith's "brutal comment'' out of line?
While some have labeled the remark to have been "in poor taste,'' the fact is, the Ravens know almost exactly how this feels because they too lost a star in the Thursday night game as tight end Mark Andrews is out for the season - and notably, his injury is the result of an arguably dirty (yet legal) "hip-drop tackle.''
Without any debate, the guy who is "most right'' is Burrow himself. He spoke his truth. And without necessarily intending to sound unfeeling, Roquon spoke his.
With the win, the Ravens now move to 8-3 on the season and appear to be one of the top contenders in the AFC ... even without the services of the standout Andrews.
Meanwhile, the Bengals are 5-5 and their playoff hopes are dwindling.
But beware - and again, Roquan Smith and the Ravens, who will be featured in a Week 12 matchup on Sunday against the Chargers in Los Angeles, know this well - injuries don't just happen "when you play the Ravens defense.'' They can happen to any team at any time ... and in the most inopportune times.
