Joe Burrow, brilliant in practice, sits out Bengals’ preseason finale

CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow wanted to play in the preseason finale Thursday night. But coach Zac Taylor said after what Burrow did earlier in the week, there was no need for Cincinnati’s star quarterback to be in uniform until Week 1.

Burrow and all of Cincinnati’s scheduled starters watched from the sidelines during the team’s 27-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Taylor said Burrow’s appearance in the team’s joint practice against the Colts on Tuesday was more than satisfactory.

“I think it ended this training camp,” Taylor said Thursday. “It was the right way to go about it.”

On Thursday night’s broadcast, Burrow indicated he wanted to be on the field. After leading the opening drive of the preseason opener against Tampa Bay, he didn’t take any in-game reps until the season finale against the Colts.

Taylor said Burrow’s availability for Thursday night had been “on the table at times,” but the decision to keep him and the other starters healthy outweighed the benefits of game-action preparation work.

As Burrow continued his recovery from a season-ending ligament injury in his throwing wrist, the Bengals managed his workload during offseason workouts and at times during training camp.

But Taylor said his accuracy, decision-making and completion rate made his joint drive against the Colts some of his best work of the past year.

“I thought the Colts practice was one of his best practices of the year, reminiscent of a lot of the games he played last year when he was healthy,” Taylor said.

Bengals receiver Kwamie Lassiter II said Burrow advanced in the pocket, had good speed on his passes and had excellent ball placement, including on two passes to receiver Tee Higgins.

It was probably no coincidence, Lassiter said, that Burrow’s outing came against another team rather than his own teammates during a regular practice.

“He’s got that competitive side,” Lassiter said Thursday night. “He wants to kill whoever’s in front of him, like any athlete should. He’s had a good workout.”

Burrow wasn’t scheduled to speak to reporters after the game, but he did comment as he entered the locker room: “See you in a couple of weeks.”