For those of us who are unwise in the ways of a flu shot, the winter season can be a miserable one (hell, I'm suffering through a bit of a cold as I write this). starting weakside linebacker, Vontaze Burfict seems to be one of the many affected by the bug, as he sat out Friday's practice because of an illness. It's unclear how serious the illness is and/or if it will hinder his ability to play on Sunday.

A couple of weeks ago, star wide receiver A.J. Green sat out a practice because of an illness before the home game against the Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately for Green, that game ended up being one of the worst of his career. We can't say with certainty that the illness had something to do with that, though.

Burfict currently leads all Bengals defenders in total tackles and could be a candidate for Rookie of the Year. He's been a great fit after going undrafted in this year's draft.