Cincinnati Bengals Vontaze Burfict still a toss-up

Cincinnati Bengals star weak-side linebacker Vontaze Burfict had a nice rookie year with 125 tackles, but he exploded into an all-around beast and one of the game’s most formidable playmakers last season. Burfict racked up a ridiculous 170 tackles on a strong defense to go with three sacks and eight passes defended, as he made plays in every facet of the game. But the Bengals could be forced to play today’s game without their $20 million OLB after suffering a concussion in the second quarter of last week’s win over the Baltimore Ravens when he blew up Joe Flacco. On the bright side, Burfict was exceptional in that half with four tackles, a pass defended, and a forced fumble.

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Burfict is a full-blown toss-up for today’s 1:00 p.m. ET game against the Atlanta Falcons, and his injury would be a tough blow against one of the league’s most explosive offenses. Although Roddy White’s goal of 30 points per game is an ambitious one, he, Julio Jones, and Matt Ryan made mincemeat out of the New Orleans Saints defense in an impressive 37-34 victory last week.

According to Bengals official site beat writer Geoff Hobson, Burfict’s status is still being determined by the Bengals, which isn’t exactly a great sign. He’s as questionable as they come, especially since he’s dealing with a concussion and has few updates at this point in time. We’ll watch for his status closely, and hopefully he’s able to get clearance. I was once expecting him to play, but now I’m starting to lean towards the “not expected” side.

Update: Burfict has been cleared to play.