Bengals' Joe Burrow - Wrist 'absolutely not' affecting throws - ESPN

CINCINNATI — Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow laughed, raised his eyebrows and cracked a smile about the most harrowing topic in Cincinnati.

Online sleuths wondered how his surgically repaired wrist felt after broadcast cameras captured him handling a water bottle in an unorthodox manner in the team's Week 1 loss to the New England Patriots. Burrow was oblivious to the discourse.

«I just drank water,» Burrow said with a chuckle.

But after he was spotted flexing his wrist throughout the team's upset defeat Sunday, Burrow maintained the wrist felt great, and it was «absolutely not» affecting his throwing.

«It feels better this week than it did last week, than it did the week before, so it's continually getting better,» Burrow said.

For the second straight week, Burrow was listed on the team's injury report because of his wrist issue. He tore a ligament in Week 11 last season against the Baltimore Ravens and had surgery in November. Throughout offseason workouts and training camp, Burrow has repeatedly flexed the wrist, which was seen on the television broadcast Sunday.

Burrow downplayed the significance or that the wrist was preventing him from making downfield throws.

«That's part of ligament injuries,» Burrow said. «If you don't move it, you're going to lose it, so I'm always moving it around, keeping it loose, keeping my mobility the way it's supposed to be, so it's going to continue to happen.»

Cincinnati, a 7.5-point favorite per ESPN BET, struggled to create big plays in a 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots, which was the biggest Week 1 upset in the NFL dating to 2018. According to ESPN Research, only six of Burrow's 29 pass attempts were for 10 or more air yards.

On Wednesday, the former No. 1 overall pick said he