Bengals Starting Joe Flacco Week 6
I don’t think anyone had Joe Flacco stepping to replace Joe Burrow on their bingo card, but here we are. The change in plans is reminiscent of midseason shifts in other sports, just as Breeders Cup contenders might adjust their training or entries when an injury or unexpected development arises. Or, like how the Toronto Blue Jays are having to roll with a bulletin day today in Game 3 of the playoffs, despite having a first-round bye. The Bengals are pivoting now to preserve their season, and you have to respect their efforts not to fold under pressure.
Flacco arrives with a long résumé, including a Super Bowl MVP, and faces the task of quickly syncing with a pass game led by playmakers like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He must manage the offense efficiently and limit turnovers. How effectively Flacco adapts in short order may well determine whether the Bengals remain viable contenders while Burrow heals. Currently, the Bengals are 14-point underdogs on the road this week as they take on the Green Bay Packers.
Flacco’s veteran presence gives Cincinnati a known quantity under center; however, with the Bengals’ poor offensive line and the fact that Flacco is not a mobile quarterback, expect a lot of quick passes to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
The Cincinnati Bengals will start veteran quarterback Joe Flacco against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday after acquiring him from the Cleveland Browns earlier this week.
The Bengals traded for Flacco on Tuesday, sending a fifth-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Flacco and a sixth-round selection. The move came one day after head coach Zac Taylor hinted at a potential quarterback change following Week 5’s loss to Detroit. Flacco arrived in Cincinnati with just four days to prepare for his debut against Green Bay at Lambeau Field.
Taylor benched Jake Browning after the backup threw three interceptions in Sunday’s 37-24 defeat to the Lions. Browning has struggled since taking over for injured starter Joe Burrow, throwing eight interceptions through four games. Only Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith has thrown more picks this season with nine. The Bengals have lost three straight games since Burrow went down with a turf toe injury in Week 2.
Burrow’s Return?
Burrow underwent surgery on September 19 to repair a Grade 3 turf toe injury to his left foot. Doctors have ruled him out for a minimum of three months. The earliest the franchise quarterback could return is mid-December, potentially Week 15 or 16. Cincinnati placed him on injured reserve, guaranteeing he would miss at least four games. The Bengals are leaning on Flacco to stabilize the offense and keep playoff hopes alive. The team sits at 2-3 after starting the season with two wins. Cincinnati has been outscored 113-37 over the past three weeks with Browning at quarterback. The offense ranks near the bottom of the league in most statistical categories during that stretch.
Veteran QB
Flacco brings 18 years of NFL experience to the Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback room. He started Cleveland’s first four games this season before being benched for rookie Dillon Gabriel. The Browns named Gabriel their starter on October 1 after Flacco threw six interceptions and just two touchdowns through four games. Cleveland went 1-3 with Flacco under center.
The 40-year-old completed only 58.1 percent of his passes for the Browns. His passer rating of 60.3 ranked last among qualifying NFL quarterbacks. He also lost two fumbles during his brief stint in Cleveland. The Browns’ offense averaged just 14 points per game with Flacco starting.
Flacco now joins a Bengals offense that features elite receiving talent. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both signed long-term contract extensions in March. Chase led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns last season. Higgins caught 10 touchdown passes in 2024. The duo gives Flacco significantly better weapons than he had in Cleveland, where Jerry Jeudy and Isaiah Bond led the receiver group.
The Bengals face the Packers at 4:25 PM Eastern time on Sunday. Green Bay enters the game with a 2-1-1 record after tying Dallas in Week 4. The Packers had a bye in Week 5. Quarterback Jordan Love has thrown eight touchdown passes and just one interception this season. Green Bay’s defense ranks second in the NFL against the run, allowing only 77.5 rushing yards per game.
Cincinnati has not won at Lambeau Field since visiting eight years ago. The Packers are 2-0 at home this season, averaging 27 points per game in those victories.
