The Cincinnati Bengals have had lots of trouble staying healthy over the last couple of years. In Week 2 of this season, quarterback Joe Burrow suffered what was diagnosed as turf toe and later underwent surgery, which has kept him sidelined ever since.
This week, Burrow returned to practice, and while he’s likely a few weeks away from returning, the Bengals’ offense has been in good hands lately under the leadership of veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco, whom they acquired in early October from the Cleveland Browns, has put up outstanding numbers in four starts, and he will once again be under center when the team visits the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday.
The 40-year-old said that instead of thinking about how he will soon be on the sidelines, he’s focused on the moment and on helping the 3-6 Bengals figure things out.
“I don’t know, I think backups probably do it a good amount where they know like, ‘Hey, this guy’s coming back, he’s got a three-week injury or whatever it is,'” Flacco said, via The Cincinnati Enquirer. “I’m honestly not really thinking about it. It’s not really a part of my process. I really don’t care. It’s this week, and that’s all that matters. And I think to think about that stuff would just be a distraction. So it’s not really something I’m worried about.
“Like I said, I’m just worried about doing my job, and this week that’s going out and playing against Pittsburgh.”
He also said there are no hard feelings about the fact that he’s about to be demoted and pointed to the ability to learn from men such as Burrow.
“Listen, I think you can probably make too much about that honestly,” Flacco said. “I mean, listen, we’re just two quarterbacks sitting in a room, and it’s not like we’re doing anything groundbreaking in there. We’re two quarterbacks in a room just like any other two quarterbacks for the most part. I think, like I said, for me, still being new in the offense, and it’s not just him, it’s also Jake (Browning). I’m still at the point where you’re able to kind of see the operation of things and kind of bounce little questions like that off those guys. I think that’s still the biggest thing.
“But if I can kinda understand where they’re coming from, it makes it a little easier for me. … (Burrow)’s been great to have in the room just because he’s been operating in this offense and actually been out there doing it for however many years now. So it’s always nice to be able to see … the operation of how he may do things.”
In his four games with Cincinnati, Flacco has thrown for 1,254 yards, 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions while posting a 102.6 passer rating. The former Super Bowl MVP is clearly still an excellent stopgap solution despite being in his 18th NFL season, and Cincinnati’s offense is starting to hum thanks to him.
In the team’s last game on Nov. 2, he threw four touchdown passes and had 470 passing yards. On Oct. 16, in its first game against Pittsburgh, he tallied 342 passing yards and three touchdown passes in what was called the “Icy Hot bowl” against 41-year-old Steelers signal-caller Aaron Rodgers.
Unfortunately, Flacco’s fine play hasn’t translated into wins for the Bengals, and it isn’t really his fault. Their defense has been as porous as a busted roof during a Nor’easter, and thus they rank last in both points and total yards allowed. They have a 3-6 record, but luckily, they’re just two games behind the Steelers for first place in the AFC North.
A win over Rodgers and crew this weekend would obviously be huge, and Flacco seems to be up to the task. After all, just two years ago, after joining the Browns in late November, he led them to four wins in their last five games of the season and an unexpected playoff berth.
Cincinnati is hoping for similar results from him, at least until Burrow is able to get back on the field for actual game action.
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