Giovani Bernard was forced to leave Sunday's game between the Carolina Panthers and the Cincinnati Bengals after taking a big hit from linebacker Luke Kuechly. The running back rolled around on the ground after the hit, holding his shoulder. The Bengals have ruled him questionable to return.
Giovani Bernard questionable to return vs. Panthers with shoulder injury
Giovani Bernard is questionable to return against the Panthers after taking a hard hit from linebacker Luke Kuechly.
Andy Lyons
Bernard was having a big game before getting hurt. He had 13 carries for 115 yards, 89 of which came on beautiful run on which outran the entire Panthers’ defense. He had been Cincinnati’s primary ball carrier, with the majority of team’s 20 carries up to that point.
With the Panthers holding a 24-17 lead, the Bengals will lean on Jeremy Hill and Ben Tate to handle the rushing load, though Cincinnati may be in pass-first mode. In that sense, Bernard's absence could be especially big. Bernard has made a name for himself as a talented receiver out of the offensive backfield. Whether Hill and Tate can prove as effective remains to be seen.
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