Joe Flacco wasted no time giving the Bengals what they’ve desperately needed in the preseason
The Cincinnati Bengals have struggled for years to get anything meaningful out of their preseason offensive possessions. The backup quarterback play during the Joe Burrow era has been rough. Joe Flacco showed why that doesn’t have to be the case this year.
The Cincinnati Bengals have struggled for years to get anything meaningful out of their preseason offensive possessions. The backup quarterback play during the Joe Burrow era has been, to put it bluntly, rough. Ryan Finley, Brandon Allen, Jake Browning, Trevor Siemian, and Desmond Ridder. All of them made it difficult for the coaching staff to evaluate the rest of the offense.
That changed during Thursday night’s preseason-opener, and it felt like a breath of fresh air.
Joe Flacco completed five out of eight passes for 51 yards and the team’s lone touchdown against the Detroit Lions. He wasn’t spectacular, especially considering it was against Detroit’s backups, but he kept the offense functioning. Even in a game in which the score doesn’t mean anything, that matters more for the rest of the team than the casual onlooker may realize.
Why competent backup quarterback play changes everything
The value here isn’t about scoring touchdowns. It’s about evaluation. When your quarterback can’t get the ball out on time or throw accurately down the field, you can’t properly evaluate receivers. When your quarterback is erratic in the pocket, you can’t evaluate the offensive line. That was the reality for Cincinnati in recent preseasons.
I think back to three years ago when Browning and Siemian had to take all the reps when Joe Burrow was out with a calf strain, and how simply unprofessional both looked trying to run the first-team offense in training camp and how it carried over to the first preseason game. The Bengals just couldn’t extract useful information about the players around them because the quarterback play was dragging everything down.
Flacco is leaps and bounds better than any of the backups Cincinnati has trotted out during the Burrow era. Josh Johnson was a bit off at times when it was his turn to play, but I have more confidence in him as the No. 3 than any third-stringer the Bengals have had recently. They will keep the offense afloat, and allow development to happen around them.
Bengals can now confidently evaluate surrounding offensive talent
This is the real advantage. When the quarterback is competent, the coaching staff can trust what they see from the rest of the roster. Accurate placement for receivers means something. Protection from the offensive line isn’t wasted. Play design gets a fair shot.
Wide receiver Colbie Young is a perfect example. It’s helpful when Young gets accurate throws his way so the Bengals can continue evaluating how he performs against different competition. The evaluation means nothing if the ball is sailing over his head or bouncing at his feet because the quarterback can’t handle the moment.
The first drive was all the proof needed. Flacco targeted Young on his first play and threw him a back-shoulder fade right on the money. Young dropped it. Two plays later, Flacco went right back to the rookie on a deep hitch at the first down market and converted a third-and-16.
Dohnte Myers was another standout worth mentioning. He looked fast out there, like he had another gear compared to anyone else playing on the field for the Detroit Lions. His explosion and acceleration were on display from the jump. His first touch that wasn’t a punt return was a jet sweep reverse, and Cincinnati did a good job scheming up touches to showcase what he can do. That was promising to see.
What’s next for the rest of the preseason?
The Bengals have two more preseason games to go. Knowing Flacco and Johnson will keep the offense operating at a baseline level of competence makes those games significantly more useful for the coaching staff. They can trust whoever is under center after Burrow leaves the game, and that trust ripples across every evaluation decision they need to make between now and roster cuts.
It makes the coaches’ jobs easier. Plain and simple. Cincinnati brought Flacco back and signed Johnson for exactly this reason, and it’s already paying off for the players who need these reps the most.
