Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow won’t be activated by Saturday’s 4 p.m. deadline and therefore won’t play Sunday against the New England Patriots, according to multiple reports.

Joe Flacco is reportedly set to start his sixth consecutive game in the absence of Burrow, who has been working his way back from a turf toe injury he suffered in the second game of the season.

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Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told reporters Friday that they had to account for the Bengals playing two games in five days, as they’re set to face the division-rival Ravens in Baltimore on Thanksgiving.

Burrow, who had surgery on his toe on Sept. 19, is still on injured reserve. The two-time NFL Comeback Player of the Year was listed as “questionable” heading into the weekend.

In Burrow’s two starts this season, he threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns.

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Despite his estimated recovery time being three months, Taylor declined to rule his quarterback out for the season. The Bengals designated Burrow for return from IR on Nov. 10. While Burrow was targeting a Thanksgiving return, he began practicing fully and started taking snaps with the starting offense this week, suggesting the possibility of him playing against the Patriots.

The Bengals have struggled in Burrow’s absence, going 1-7 in the games he has missed. Taylor initially replaced Burrow with Jake Browning. After Browning went 0-3 in his starts, failed to throw for 150 yards in two games and threw eight interceptions, it was time for Taylor to make a change.

In October, the Bengals traded a 2026 fifth-round pick to acquire Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round pick from their divisional rivals, the Cleveland Browns. Flacco started the same week as the trade, with just four days to prepare. He has thrown for 1,453 yards, 12 touchdowns and 3 interceptions with Cincinnati this season.

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Flacco is coming off arguably his worst game as a Bengal against the Steelers in Week 11. He completed 23 of 40 passes for 199 yards, one touchdown and a pick 6. The 40-year-old quarterback is dealing with a shoulder injury that has limited him in practice this week.

Despite Flacco’s low turnover rate, the team has continued to struggle, especially on defense, yielding a 1-4 record with Flacco as a starter. The defense has not made it easier on the offense. The Bengals have allowed a league-high 334 points to opponents through 10 games this season and are tied for allowing a league-high 6.3 yards per play.

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Whichever quarterback starts will be without their top pass catcher. Ja’Marr Chase will be serving his one-game suspension for spitting on Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey. Chase is first in the league with 79 receptions despite playing with three different quarterbacks.

While the Bengals have struggled, the 9-2 Patriots are surging. The Patriots are on the longest current winning streak, having won their past eight games.