The Cincinnati Bengals are trying a different strategy. Rather than going with Jake Browning in the wake of Joe Burrow's turf toe injury, they decided to trade for a veteran quarterback in Joe Flacco.
Flacco, despite barely touching down in Cincinnati, will now be the Bengals' starting quarterback for a Week 6 clash with the Green Bay Packers.
This could lead to disaster, or Flacco, a former Super Bowl MVP, could connect brilliantly with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to help the Bengals get back on the winning track.
The Bengals could play it conservative with Flacco as he gets to know the scheme, or they can just let him go out and play backyard football.
For what it's worth, Packers' star safety Xavier McKinney knows what he would want to do if he were in Flacco's shoes.
"If I'm the QB, I'm just throwing it. I don't give a damn. I believe they're going to catch the ball," McKinney said on Wednesday, referencing Flacco, Chase and Higgins.
The #Packers defense will face Joe Flacco - again.
— Dominique Yates (@RealDYates) October 8, 2025
Xavier McKinney has respect for the veteran QB and the duo of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
"If I'm the QB, I'm just throwing it. I don't give a damn. I believe they're going to catch the ball." pic.twitter.com/mjervqzkre
Ironically, Flacco is the only quarterback who has beaten the Packers this season. Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys came close, but the Packers and Cowboys ended things in a 40-40 tie a few weeks ago on "Sunday Night Football."
It was Flacco, though, who helped the Cleveland Browns beat the Packers in Week 3. He did throw McKinney an interception in that game, and he didn't throw a touchdown on 21-of-36 passing, but he did ultimately orchestrate the game-winning drive to give the Packers their first loss of the 2025 season.
And now, despite less than a week in Cincinnati's offense, he'll get a chance to do it again.
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