Joe Flacco speaks on the forgotten aspect of Joe Burrow’s expected return as Bengals starter
Burrow may be coming back, but Flacco is still holding his spot for now.
Lost in the whirlwind of a possible Joe Burrow return is what that would mean for Joe Flacco.
While Burrow is practicing again for the first time in two months, Flacco is preparing to make his fifth start with the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s been insanely productive for a 40-year-old who was traded in the middle of the season, and he’s locked in as the guy under center until, and if, Burrow eventually plays again this season.
Now that all the headlines are about a hypothetical with the guy who could take back the spotlight, what does that have Flacco thinking about? The answer is none of the bad things.
Joe Flacco shares his mindset with time running out as the starter
Should Flacco keep up the impressive efficiency and continue putting points on the board, Cincinnati has a shot at staying alive in the postseason race and setting Burrow up to take over for the final stretch. Regardless of whether or not the playoffs are possible, Burrow will want to play again if he can. The Bengals will want their franchise quarterback playing for impatient season-ticket holders.
Joe Flacco’s stats as Bengals QB
- 4 games started
- 1,254 passing yards
- 11 touchdowns
- 2 interceptions
- 64.7% completion percentage
In all likelihood, Flacco’s time as QB in Cincy will end within the next month, but that’s not been on his mind over the last few days.
“I’m honestly not really thinking about it,” Flacco said. “It’s not really a part of my process. I really don’t care. I mean, 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.
“I’m just worried about doing my job, and this week that’s going out playing against Pittsburgh.”
Flacco’s entire season has been filled with noise. The fact that he’s in Cincinnati now after spending nearly six months with the Cleveland Browns was a curveball in and of itself. It wasn’t a given that he would stay as the Bengals’ starter if he were to falter even worse than Jake Browning did in the three weeks prior to his arrival. Burrow’s return was also always possible, just maybe not as early as it’s now expected to be.
Long gone are the days when Flacco was the guy for a franchise. Lamar Jackson made sure of that. He’s got a fort to hold down, and the better he does it, the more likely he can keep doing it elsewhere when the time comes.
Cincinnati can at least rest easy knowing the most important position on the field is in a good headspace.
Cincinnati Bengals News
Bengals Injury Report: Joe Flacco among 4 DNPs for Cincinnati’s first practice coming off bye week
Cincinnati has injury concerns even after the bye week.
