After playing through an ankle injury for the first two games of the Cincinnati Bengals season, superstar quarterback Joe Burrow received a positive update from coach Zac Taylor ahead of a crucial Week 3 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night.

“It's been an encouraging early part of the week,” Taylor told Rich Eisen on Wednesday. “I've learned enough in my five years here to not assume anything. We'll just take it day to day with him. He's been a little sore early in the week, but we'll see how it goes. Fortunately we get an extra day here.”

It's been a nightmare start to the season for Burrow and the Bengals; they're 0-2 after a brutal 24-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 and a tight 27-24 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens a week later.

If there is no panic in Ohio yet, that won't be the case if the Bengals can't find a way to get a win against the Cooper Kupp-less Rams in Week 3. Still, it looks like Burrow could be available on Monday night.

“The No. 1 thing is Joe's health, and making sure he's healthy in the short term and the long term,” the head coach stressed.

Burrow first suffered the injury at training camp, and re-aggravated it in Sunday's loss to the Ravens. Although his ability to play is crucial to the team's success, it is clear that keeping the franchise's most important player healthy is being prioritized.

Taylor explained to Eisen that he feels good about where the team is heading. But if the Cincinnati Bengals are 0-3 in five days from now, the alarm bells could be sounding in earnest for one of last season's best teams.