A nearly two decade time together in the league didn’t have Mike Tomlin ready for Joe Flacco the first time around in 2025. Virally upset after the Cleveland Browns dealt Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals days before the Pittsburgh Steelers saw him, Tomlin feels more confident in the plan of attack the second time around. Even though this is nearly the 30th time Tomlin has faced him.
“I didn’t think we had a large enough body of work to really get a feel for what we were gonna get,” Tomlin told Bob Pompeani during Tomlin’s weekly show on the team’s YouTube channel. “There was a component of the unknown. He’s four games in now. And so that’s a big enough body of work to see his perspective on how the ball is distributed to fit his skillset.”
The Bengals acquired Flacco on October 7th. Five days later, he made his first start with the team against the Green Bay Packers. The following Thursday, the Steelers came to down. Flacco lit up Pittsburgh’s secondary with more than 300 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He led the game-winning drive, a field goal in the final seconds to win 33-31.
In one sense, Tomlin’s comments are understandable. A small sample size seeing specifically how Flacco would fit into the Bengals’ system. What elements the scheme would prioritize knowing Flacco had barely more than one week in the system. His chemistry with receivers, the base calls the offense would rely on.
But in another, Flacco is hardly an unknown player. His skillset is clear. Big-armed pocket passer willing and capable of airing it out. There’s no secret how the Bengals and Flacco try to win offensively. Pittsburgh still couldn’t stop it. Flacco came off the bench in 2024 to beat the Steelers. One more victory and he’ll join Sammy Baugh as the only two quarterbacks to ever have a dozen wins against Pittsburgh. Flacco was hardly a rookie and for Tomlin to explain the struggles for not having a “feel” falls short, at least in the team’s preparation.
The good news about divisional play is it allows for second chances. An opportunity to right the wrongs of the first matchup. Pittsburgh can’t let Flacco throw the ball around like a 7 on 7 drill. And Tomlin won’t have any excuses if it happens again.
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