Bengals

Bengals QB Joe Flacco plans to start in Week 9 as he deals with a shoulder issue. Cincinnati HC Zac Taylor praised the veteran for wanting to stick it out and isn’t worried about him potentially playing with few reps. 

“If anybody in the league can get by with minimal reps right now, it’s him,” Taylor said, via Nick Shook via NFL.com. “He wants to play in the game. So, kudos to him, man. He’s been here three weeks. He wants to play. Hate speaking for him, but that’s what he’s told me. We’ll have to work through the week to see if (he’s) able to do that. It’s a throwing shoulder. It’s painful.

“But I mean, golly, a guy who wants to do that, wants to get out there and play with something like that, credit to him.”

Ravens

Ravens HC John Harbaugh, S Kyle Hamilton, and QB Lamar Jackson all have their minds on coming back from a 2-5 record to make the playoffs this season.

“When people look back and say, ‘Hey, when things were the toughest, when things looked the worst, how did you handle it?'” Harbaugh recently told Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “I’m looking for people to come out fighting and give their best in those kinds of situations. That’s what you have to do. When you do that, you come out the other end.”

“I feel like getting into this position — and we haven’t really been in this position [before] — it’s easy to kind of put your head down and mail it in,” Hamilton said. “But we still feel like we’re talented enough to make the playoffs [and] make some magic when we do.”

Baltimore has eagerly been awaiting the return of QB Lamar Jackson from injury.

“Coach [John Harbaugh] touched on that with us in a team meeting: Each and every game going to be like a win-or-go-home game,” Jackson added. “It’s the first season ever starting off this slow. It’s do-or-die right now, each and every week. I feel like we always have a chance to make something happen. And we still do.”

Steelers

• Pittsburgh’s new S Kyle Dugger says he feels healthy after an offseason that had setbacks from an ankle surgery. (Nick Farabaugh)
• Dugger wants to be physical and said he feels comfortable in the box or at free safety. He also mentioned S Jabrill Peppers has been his “translator” for learning the new scheme. (Farabagh)
• The Steelers are only paying Dugger $650,000 for the rest of the season. The Patriots are paying him $10.3 million, including a $4.7 million bonus. Dugger will count for $12.18 million against the Patriots’ salary cap in 2026. (Ben Volin)
• Steelers WR DK Metcalf was fined $12,172 for striking/kicking/tripping/kneeing.