The. Cincinnati Bengals. Are. So. Back. Less than a month ago, four straight losses in the weeks following Joe Burrow's long-term injury gave them what felt like an insurmountable climb back to relevancy.
Now, with Joe Flacco coming to town and snapping that streak with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7, the Cincinnati Bengals have life.
They go into Week 8 with a 3-4 record as they face an 0-7 New York Jets that is the only team left in the NFL without a win. Will the Bengals continue to build momentum, or falter as they look ahead to the Chicago Bears?
Flacco has quiet, but efficient, performance against his former team
The last time these two teams faced off — back in Week 3 of the 2022 season — it was a battle of Joes, a true Joe-down, if you will. Joe Burrow and the Bengals snapped their 0–2 start with a 27–12 win over Joe Flacco and the Jets.
Both Joes find themselves on the same sideline, with Burrow offering support from the bench while Flacco leads the charge on offense.
On Thursday Night Football against the Steelers, Flacco turned back the clock, completing 66% of his passes for 342 yards — the 11th-highest single-game total in the NFL this season — and three touchdowns.
While that vintage performance gave Bengals fans everywhere a renewed sense of hope, it’s unrealistic to expect those kinds of numbers every week. Zac Taylor and company will need to find ways to win with Flacco operating as a steady game manager if they want to stay afloat until Burrow’s return.
With a struggling Jets team up next, Flacco has a chance to settle in, play with a lead, and let his teammates shoulder more of the load. The 40-year-old signal-caller delivers a steady performance on Sunday, completing 60% of his passes for 235 yards and a touchdown while extending his streak of Bengals starts without an interception.
Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart give Justin Fields a tough day at the office
On Sunday, an unstoppable force meets an immovable object — or maybe the other way around — as a Bengals defense with just 11 sacks, tied for the fourth fewest in the NFL, faces a Jets offensive line surrendering 4.4 sacks per game, the most in the league. By my calculation, something has to give here.
Reigning sack leader Trey Hendrickson and first-round rookie Shemar Stewart will share the field for the first time since Week 2. Against a Jets offense still unsure of its quarterback situation, Cincinnati’s new pass-rushing tandem has a prime opportunity to break out.
Expect Hendrickson to add two more sacks to his season total and Stewart to notch his first career sack while using his elite athleticism to keep Justin Fields in check on the ground.
Bengals running back Chase Brown continues his resurgence
After six weeks of struggling to run the ball, Chase Brown finally broke out against the Steelers, turning 11 carries into 108 yards at 9.8 yards per attempt. His emergence opened up the passing game, gave the defense a breather, and, honestly, might have saved my fantasy football season — he was my second-round pick.
If the Bengals jump out to an early lead, Brown should have every chance to keep rolling against the Jets. Without an Aaron Rodgers-caliber quarterback on the other sideline, Zac Taylor won’t need to call 50 passes just to keep pace in another shootout. Sorry, Jets fans, that hurt to write and I’m mad on your behalf.
Fantasy owners shouldn't hesitate to fire up Brown in their starting lineups this week. He totals over 100 all-purpose yards, around 85 on the ground and 25 through the air, and reaches the end zone twice.
Bengals avoid trap game, defeat Jets in low-scoring affair
This matchup has all the makings of a trap game. I even tried to simulate it in Madden to settle on a score prediction but kept blowing fourth-quarter leads. Hopefully, that’s not a bad omen for the orange and black.
Still, I can’t pick against the Bengals this week. The Jets are a mess right now, and Flacco has given Cincinnati an adrenaline shot that should be on full display at Paycor Stadium. Plus, I’m going to the game with a Jets fan — so this one’s personal.
It might not be as thrilling as last week’s win, but the Bengals handle business, move to 4–4, and head into Week 9 with one game left before the bye.