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As expected, the Bengals have gone ahead and ruled out starting running back Giovani Bernard and Pro Bowl linebacker Vontaze Burfict.
Bernard, whose missed the past three games now with a hip and clavicle injury in addition to an injured shoulder, will once again be replaced by rookie Jeremy Hill, who will be making his third NFL start this year. Bernard has rushed 109 times for 446 yards and five touchdowns to go with 22 catches for 179 yards this season.
As for Burfict, this will be the fifth games he's missed this year and the third because of a knee scope he received following the team's Week 8 win over Baltimore. After leading the team in tackles for two consecutive seasons, he's notched only 29 tackles this year in five games.
Starting in place of Burfict will be Vincent Rey, who is third on the team in tackles (53), but doesn't have a tackle for loss this year.