Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow returned this week to 11-on-11 drills at practice. He won't be returning to 11-on-11 game action on Sunday.

Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Bengals won’t activate Burrow from injured reserve before Saturday's 4:00 p.m. ET deadline for making pre-game roster moves.

Burrow suffered a toe injury in Week 2. Reports at the time indicated he would be out until the middle of December, at the earliest.

Currently, Burrow seems to be on track to play on Thursday night, when the Bengals visit the Ravens to cap the trio of Thanksgiving games.

Joe Flacco, who continues to play through an injury to his throwing shoulder will get the start against New England. A loss would drop the Bengals to 3-8, making it even harder to pull an inside straight on a division title.

Even if the Bengals can upend the Pats on Sunday, Cincinnati faces a stiff challenge. But with a 2-1 record in the division, two games to be played against Baltimore, and two Ravens-Steelers games still on the docket, the Bengals could finagle a two- or three-way tie atop the AFC North when the dust settles on Week 18. And a potential 5-1 record in division games could be the thing that ultimately makes the difference.

Step one is to beat the Patriots on Sunday. That's the toughest test left on the Cincinnati schedule, given that the Pats have won eight in a row — and that they had three extra days to rest and prepare. Throw in the fact that Burrow won't be back and receiver Ja'Marr Chase's spit-fueled suspension, Cincinnati beating New England on Sunday would be every bit as stunning as New England's win over Cincinnati in Week 1 a year ago.