Joe Burrow on critics saying he shouldn't risk injury for 3-8 Bengals: 'That doesn't make a lot of sense to me'

If he's healthy, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is going to play. It doesn't matter if the Bengals are 3-8 and a heavy underdog to make the playoffs, Burrow wants to be out there.

Burrow expressed as much Tuesday, responding to critics questioning whether Burrow should risk another injury to return to a Bengals team with little to no postseason hopes.

He shut down that thought, saying it "doesn't make a lot of sense," per ESPN.

"I'm not ever going to go to somebody and say, 'Yeah, I'm healthy, but I don't think I should go out there and play,'" Burrow said Tuesday, ahead of his anticipated return against the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving. "That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm not going to live my life and play this game scared of something happening."

Burrow, 28, is set to return to the field to take on the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. The two-time Pro Bowler missed the team's last nine games after dealing with turf toe. He was originally expected to miss three months due to the injury, but recovered faster than expected.

After starting the season 2-0, the Bengals went into a free fall following Burrow's injury. The team lost its next four games, eventually trading for veteran quarterback Joe Flacco when Jake Browning faltered in the starting role. Flacco managed to lead the team to a win over the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7, but the Bengals couldn't keep up that momentum. The team finds itself on another four-game losing streak ahead of Burrow's return.

At 3-8, the Bengals haven't been eliminated from the playoffs just yet, but their chances of making the postseason are slim. Cincinnati enters Week 13 with a .31 percent chance to get in, per NFL.com.

While a win over Baltimore in Week 13 wouldn't drastically alter the Bengals' chances, it could pay off down the road. The Ravens currently lead the AFC North with a 6-5 record. The team has yet to play the Bengals this season, meaning Cincinnati could pick up two games on the division leader if it can sweep the series. Following Week 13's game, the two teams will meet again in Week 15. If the Bengals can win both games, the team could actually wind up playing for something down the stretch.

In order to do that, though, Burrow likely needs to stay on the field. For all his excellence, Burrow has dealt with a number of injuries during his career. He's missed at least six games in three of his six NFL season due to different issues. When healthy for a full season, though, Burrow has dazzled, never throwing fewer than 34 touchdowns in a year in which he played at least 16 games.

Burrow is well aware of those injuries as he returns to the field in Week 13, but said it's not something he can worry about moving forward, per ESPN.

"Yeah, I've had injuries," Burrow said. "There's not a lot I can do about that. I worked really hard to have that not happen."

Despite facing massive odds, the Bengals have hope thanks to Burrow. While the team still faces a tough road ahead, anything is possible when Burrow is healthy.