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Why was Hardy Nickerson on the field to strip the ball away from Royce Freeman? Because Vontaze Burfict left the field a few plays prior with a concussion and has since been ruled OUT.
INJURY UPDATE: LB Vontaze Burfict is reported with a concussion.
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 2, 2018
He is ruled out. #DENvsCIN
Burfict left the game earlier for a short period of time before later returning. This time, Burfict went to the locker room for further evaluation and did not return.
Burfict being walked back to the locker room. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/bi3gEjaA95
— Sam Greene (@SGdoesit) December 2, 2018
Nickerson took Burfict’s place at MIKE linebacker.
This has been the latest of many setbacks for Burfict this year, who never has been the Pro Bowl linebacker he was in year’s past. Part of that is due to an assortment of minor injuries he’s been battling throughout the year. Part of it is he’s playing in the middle of one of the worst defenses in NFL history, which he’s done very little to stop the bleeding in.