| Atlanta. (AP) |
In the first five minutes of their Week 1 preseason game, Cincinnati lost three starters to injury, including Travelle Wharton being knocked out for the season. Week 2 against the Falcons (a game Atlanta led 13-10 at halftime) was a little better, but they still had some key players knocked out.
Both tight end Jermaine Gresham and linebacker Vontaze Burfict left the game earlier than expected, though the injuries aren't expected to be all that serious.
Gresham injured his right knee after catching a pass from Andy Dalton and eluding some defenders for a 25-yard pickup in the first quarter. As he was being pulled down, he appeared to hyperextend his knee and ended up on the ground clutching it for a minute. Gresham made it to the sidelines on his own power and was yanked from the game by Cincinnati.
Burfict, who recently got a serious vote of confidence from Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, suffered a hit to the head a little less than midway through the second quarter. He was announced questionable to return at first, but the Bengals ultimately ruled him out for the rest of the game.
For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, subscribe to our RSS Feed and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Will Brinson on Twitter here: @willbrinson.