The Cincinnati Bengals desperately need a victory against the rebuilding Arizona Cardinals. No matter what happens at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, though, it seems like superstar quarterback Joe Burrow will still be “a few weeks away” from playing at that level.

Burrow is still nagged by the right calf injury he suffered early in training camp, an issue that's left him unable to plant, drive and scramble with the efficiency that's made him one of the NFL's best players over the last two seasons.

“Joe Burrow is clearly not close to 100 percent healthy because of his ailing right calf. He’s not able to plant and drive. Burrow is still a few weeks away in terms of health, according to a team source,” Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported on Sunday.

Burrow has been a shell of himself through the first four games of 2023, clearly limited by his injury. He's thrown for 728 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while completing just 57.6% of his passes, poor numbers well below career norms. Perhaps most telling of Burrow being nowhere near fully healthy? He's averaging 4.8 yards per attempt, league-worst among regular starting quarterbacks.

If there's one silver lining for Cincinnati amid Burrow's continued discomfort, it's that his injury may have at least improved leading up Sunday's battle with the Cardinals.

“It was a better week for the Bengals, another team source said, and the calf has improved,” Russini reports. “Burrow had more mobility during practice, and the Bengals are expected to open up the playbook some more today.”

The Bengals and Cardinals kickoff at 1:05 p.m. (PT).