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Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor met with reporters in Madrid, Spain, on Thursday morning, Cincinnati time, as the team continues its preparations for the upcoming game against the Atlanta Falcons. The Bengals' schedule has been significantly altered, with all practices taking place in the afternoon locally, which corresponds to morning hours on Eastern Standard Time.
Taylor provided the latest injury updates on cornerback DJ Turner (heel) and defensive end Cedric Johnson (ankle). According to Kelsey Conway of The Enquirer, Taylor mentioned that a few players would be limited in practice today but did not disclose which ones. The fact that Turner and Johnson were not specifically ruled out is a positive indication regarding their health.
Cincinnati holds a 5-2 record this season and is in the midst of a tight AFC North race with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team has boasted one of the NFL's top offenses this season and has been particularly dominant over the past month. Since Week 5, Taylor's unit has posted 0.216 EPA per play on offense, ranking first in the league by a wide margin, and they also lead the league in success rate at 58%.
Getting Turner and Johnson back on the field would provide a boost for the entire team, including the high-performing offense. The cornerback position remains fluid this week, as Cincinnati still does not have Jalen Davis back from injured reserve. Taylor commented on Josh Newton's reps in the game, saying, "Thought he came in there and provided a lot of energy and competed and got Dax back outside. This time DJ is down, so now you got different grouping in there. And so that was a little bit of the plan going into the game, and then it evolves when you have an injury. But because those guys keep competing, and they're all ready when their numbers go on."
The Bengals have practices today and tomorrow before an off day on Saturday and the game on Sunday. Quarterback Joe Burrow is healthy and prepared to lead the offense against the Falcons as one of the league's most impactful passers. After the win over the Titans, Burrow said, "We found a way to win today. We're 5-2. We've lost that game for the last three years. It's hard to win. You want to be great, snap in, snap out, but it's not the reality of it. All we can do is keep working hard and get better. You win from wins and losses and good plays and bad plays. That's what the NFL and getting better is. We'll continue to do that."
Cincinnati will face the Falcons on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET.