Both were down and Burfict needed to be helped off the field, before pushing team doctors off of him as he walked the final quarter of the field on his own power. He eventually went to the locker room with the thought that he wouldn’t return, given the ferocity of the hit.

When the third quarter began to the surprise of many, Burfict came back out.

Eyebrows were understandably raised Wednesday when he showed up with a concussion on the practice report and didn’t participate. It also doesn’t look likely he’ll be able to go Sunday against Houston, according to a team source.

Following a concussion incident with Rams quarterback Case Keenum last year which the league deemed “a system failure across the board,” significant consequences were put in place for failure to follow the protocol properly, with the first violation including a fine of up to $150,000.

The Bengals verified Burfict successfully passed concussion protocol tests at halftime by both the team doctor and an independent neurologist on site. Upon returning to the facilities this week, he self-reported the concussion.

There aren’t specific rules that a team must re-administer the tests in the days following a possible concussion in a game, but players are repeatedly encouraged to self-report any possible symptoms that should arise. That was Burfict’s path in this case.

OTHERS OUT: Offensive lineman Clint Boling (shoulder), tight end Tyler Eifert (back) and running back Jeremy Hill (knee) were other starters who didn’t participate Wednesday due to injury.

Boling has battled the shoulder injury all season while Eifert and Hill were new to the injury report.

Also, Tyler Kroft (knee/ankle) and Alex Erickson (not injury related) didn’t participate.

A.J. Green practiced again Wednesday in a limited fashion, still yet to go full since sustaining a hamstring injury on Nov. 20 against Buffalo.

Others limited were defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry (calf), defensive end Michael Johnson (shoulder), linebacker Vinny Rey (hamstring), defensive lineman Pat Sims (hip) and wide receivers James Wright (knee).