Bengals Announce 2 Players Test Positive for COVID-19 During Bye Week

The Cincinnati Bengals announced Friday that two of their players have tested positive for COVID-19:

Cincinnati is on a bye this week, but the team noted that its players will be tested daily and will not return to the team facility until next week.

The Bengals have already surpassed their record from last season, as they are 2-5-1 thanks largely to the play of rookie quarterback Joe Burrow. The Bengals are coming off their biggest win of the season as well—a 31-20 victory over a Tennessee Titans team that previously had only one loss.

When the Bengals return from their bye, they are scheduled to face the currently undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 15 in a game that will be a significant measuring stick for Cincinnati.

It is unclear which players tested positive for COVID-19, but because of the timing of their positive tests, it remains possible that they could be cleared in time to play against Pittsburgh.

Although the Bengals are in last place in the competitive AFC North, they have been playing quality football recently. Prior to the win over Tennessee, they lost to the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns in back-to-back weeks by a total of just seven points.

They face an uphill climb in terms of reaching the playoffs, but the Bengals aren't out of it by a long shot, especially since there are seven playoff teams per conference this season rather than the traditional six.

Also, with the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to potentially cause the cancelation of some games this season, the NFL has discussed adding an eighth playoff team in each conference. If that happens, the Bengals' playoff chances will improve even more.

If Cincinnati is going to realistically contend for the postseason, it will need rookie No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow to continue playing at a high level.

Burrow is in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race, as he is completing 67.0 percent of his passes for 2,272 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions while also rushing for three scores.

If the Bengals do find a way to reach the playoffs, it will mark the first time they have done so since 2015.