Every team in the NFL heading into Week 1 has a certain level of apprehensiveness. As fans, we talk with our chest out on social media while also hoping that our negative thoughts about what could go wrong don't become a reality. Fans of the Cincinnati Bengals have some well-documented concerns, such as the state of the defense and the offensive line.
Fortunately, the division rival Cleveland Browns also have some invasive thoughts of their own. And if it were to come to pass, one of their nightmares could turn one of Cincinnati's into sweet dreams come Sunday evening.
What does this mean, exactly? In the words of one Browns diehard, it's quite possible Cleveland could see a lopsided Week 1 quarterback duel go devastatingly awry on them.
Bengals, Stripe Hype rival already contemplating life after Joe Flacco
Nick Halden covers the Browns for FanSided’s Factory of Sadness (an excellent name), which all things Cleveland sports. Halden recently wrote about one critical thing that could go wrong for the ‘Elves’ on Sunday. Namely, starting quarterback Joe Flacco may himself on the bench after just one game. That would be an excellent first showing for the Al Golden-led defense.
In his article, Halden anticipates Flacco struggling to stay upright against the Bengals’ pass rush. He is concerned explicitly about Trey Hendrickson. He also notes that quarterback Joe Burrow will come to play when the two sides meet in the first Battle of Ohio of the 2025 season.
Hopefully, Halden will be correct on all fronts.
Joe Burrow has repeatedly stated that this is the best he has felt in any preseason since being drafted. He sounds confident in himself and his teammates in his most recent press conference. But Cincinnati’s offense is not where Halden puts most of his angst.
Could Browns really bench Joe Flacco after one week?
Of the one thing that could go catastrophically wrong for the Browns, Halden writes the following:
"The Browns simply aren't going to win enough this season, and history tells us that starting a 40-year-old quarterback really goes well. Don't be shocked if the Flacco experiment ends as early as Week 1.”
Oh, what a turn of events that would be for both franchises!
National media ranked Joe Flacco as the 31st best starting QB in the NFL. @TheRealTRizzo and @TheOGPAW are PISSED about it... Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/wBuiCiatmb
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) September 4, 2025
The most recent high-profile benching in a very short amount of time occurred last year when Carolina Panthers quarterback and 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young was benched after Week 2 on the heels of two ugly losses.
We should not expect Flacco to lose his starting job after just one week. But if it were to happen, that would mean the Bengals’ defense had an excellent game. And that is something Bengals fans can get behind.
Should the Bengals dare to dream of a dominant defense?
With the contract disputes of Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart resolved, both are highly motivated to have great seasons. Hendrickson is in a contract year. While getting a significant pay raise, he still did not secure a long-term deal with the team. The reigning NFL sack king will be looking for another substantial pay increase at the end of this season. Pray for Joe Flacco.
Stewart has heard the complaints from a fan base that was not exactly thrilled that he was picked at 17th overall in the draft. He knows there are concerns about his ability to rush the passer after only having 4.5 sacks in three years at Texas A&M.
Following a contentious contractual standoff, he is eager to show his teammates, the fan base, and the front office that he is worth the unwanted attention of this off-season and his draft position. Hopefully, Stewart will be a gem and not a flop like other recent first-round selections at this position.
Furthermore, new defensive coordinator Al Golden is aware that he is replacing a beloved coach in Lou Anarumo. He knows that Cincinnati's defense is heavily scrutinized and often blamed for the Bengals' failure to make the postseason last year.
Golden, like almost every other team, played very vanilla, relatively scheme-less defenses during the preseason. So, we really won't get a glimpse into how his arrival affects the defense until it rolls out on the banks of Lake Erie. He, too, is likely to be aggressive in showing what the individual players and the defense as a whole are capable of under his stewardship.
If the Bengals' defense — which everyone expects to be awful again this season — comes together and has an excellent outing against Flacco and Co., that would be a major red flag for Browns fans. How unfortunate that would be.
Nevertheless, Cleveland's offense will have to go completely off the rails for Flacco not to be named the Week 2 starter. However, if that does come to fruition, that would mean that the Browns were completely inept against Cincinnati’s defense. As Bengals fans, we hope that is exactly what happens on Sunday.
And what a national media conversation-changer a dominant defensive performance would be for the Bengals and their prospects for the 2025 NFL season.