The Cincinnati Bengals will face former offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon in a game that the Bengals need to win, one that, for draft positioning, the Titans need to lose. But throwing a wrench in the hopes of both of these fanbases was Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who was limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday.

The health of Joe Burrow has been of constant concern ever since he arrived in Cincinnati in 2020, but this year, Burrow has managed to play in all 13 games and play at a tremendously high level at that. However, those limitations during Wednesday and Thursday’s practices cast just a little bit of doubt on his status moving forward. Fortunately, those concerns were alleviated on Friday when Burrow was removed from Cincinnati’s injury report.

“Entering Week 14, Joe Burrow had a longstanding wrist ailment he was dealing with. Exiting the week, he had a knee injury, as well. Neither will keep him out for Week 15,” writes Grant Gordon of NFL.com. “Burrow is off the Cincinnati Bengals injury report and will start against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.”

At 5-8, the Bengals are in a position where running the table over the next four weeks is mandatory if they hope to make the NFL Playoffs, and even then, they would need plenty of help to get there. But with only so much in their control, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are also playing to rewrite the record book in Cincinnati.

Bengals lean on Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase as Playoff pursuit continues

In each of the two seasons in which Joe Burrow has played in 16 games, he’s put forth the two greatest passing yardage seasons in Bengals history. Assuming Burrow plays in all 17 games this year, he’s on pace to eclipse both of those marks. He’s also just three touchdowns shy of surpassing his single-season team record, and with just seven more TD tosses, he’d become just the 11th quarterback in NFL history with a 40-touchdown season to their name.

Meanwhile, Ja’Marr Chase is just 137 yards shy of breaking his team record for receiving yards in a season. He’s also three touchdowns shy of passing Carl Pickens’ team record for receiving touchdowns in a season. But why just focus on Bengals records when Chase has NFL history in his crosshairs?

Heading into Week 15, Chase is the NFL’s leader in receptions (93), yards (1,319), and touchdowns (15), meaning it’s in play that he could become just the fifth receiver in the Super Bowl era to win the ‘triple crown.’ Beyond that, Chase could join Randy Moss and Jerry Rice as the only receivers to finish a season with over 20 receiving T’s. Additionally, if Chase were to average 162 yards receiving over the next four games, he’d break Calvin Johnson’s single-season record.

That may not be a reasonable ask, but Chase has already eclipsed the 16-yard mark in three games this season, so it’s certainly not impossible, especially if it’s Burrow back there delivering the passes.