Bengals insider explains why Joe Flacco might still have enough magic left to shock the Packers on short notice

The Green Bay Packers certainly did not expect to face Joe Flacco this year once again, but here we are. The Cincinnati Bengals acquired the veteran quarterback five days ahead of the Packers game, and Flacco will face the Packers three weeks after he somewhat helped the Cleveland Browns pull off the upset win over Green Bay in Week 3.

With so many new variables on the table for Sunday’s game, we invited A to Z Sports’ Bengals writer John Sheeran to talk about how the team has played, and what can change with Joe Flacco under center.

How impactful can Joe Flacco be for the Bengals five days after the trade?

The hope behind Flacco is he's experienced and well-versed enough to pick up what the Bengals will ask him to do on such short notice. He may not raise the ceiling of this team compared to their other limited options, but there's weight to him simply being smart enough to run most of the offense from the jump. That's what Cincinnati really needs after watching Jake Browning press too much and take them out of games with his poor play. Flacco will make aggressive mistakes, as it's part of his DNA as a quarterback, but giving Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins more chances at carrying the offense? That should be on the table.

The Cowboys were able to exploit the Packers' defense with extra protection and quick throws. Do the Bengals have the tools and scheme background to do the same?

Quick throws are a foundational building block to this offense when Joe Burrow is on the field. It's their best way to combat imposing pass rushers. Those plays are still in the playbook when he's out, but as seen from Browning, the ball doesn't come out as quick when the elite processing speed from Burrow is no longer in play. That's yet another aspect they'll hope Flacco will be better at compared to Browning. I also wouldn't be surprised if they leave an extra blocker in for protection considering Flacco's mobility is that of a statue. They like to go empty when they can, but they'll have to adjust for this week especially with a game-breaker in Micah Parsons hunting them. 

Is there any area of the Bengals' defense that demands more attention from the Packers' offense?

It's a defense that's far from perfect but the individual splashes are becoming a little more frequent. Cornerback DJ Turner II is quietly having a solid year, and Kris Jenkins Jr. has taken a slight step in the right direction as well. Trey Hendrickson is simply the only force multiplier to be found and limiting him makes everyone's job so much harder. The pass rush needs to get home for this defense to work, and he's their only reliable guy up front. But the Packers know this. After all, there's a reality in which Hendrickson is playing against the Bengals this week.