Tag Archives: joe flacco

Bengals’ Joe Burrow has practice window opened amid turf toe recovery

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The Cincinnati Bengals have been relying on quarterback Joe Flacco following Joe Burrow’s turf toe injury, which sidelined Burrow for a significant period. However, there is now promising news regarding the star quarterback’s status.

Amid ongoing rumors about a potential Burrow return, recent updates from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network suggest that Burrow is indeed getting closer to taking the field again. According to Rapoport, Burrow’s “window opened” for a return to practice.

Burrow is set to resume practice activities, though he will be limited initially and remains on injured reserve. Rapoport shared the update on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “A major development for the Bengals: QB Joe Burrow is returning to practice. A little under two months after toe surgery, Burrow has his practice window opened, and he’ll be limited. Still on Injured Reserve, he has 21 days to be activated. A December return is real.”

This marks an encouraging step forward for the Bengals as they look to have their star quarterback back in action soon. Fans can now look forward to a possible Burrow return in December as he progresses through his recovery.
https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/bengals-joe-burrow-has-practice-window-opened-amid-turf-toe-recovery

Bengals HC Zac Taylor Makes Big Coaching Staff Announcement After Devastating Loss

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The Cincinnati Bengals keep finding ways to lose in excruciating fashion. After letting the New York Jets rally late against them in Week 8, the Bengals were the ones attempting a comeback in Week 9 against the Chicago Bears. While they briefly pulled off a wild rally, their defense fell apart at the worst possible time, allowing the Bears to secure a 47-42 victory.

Although the offense has been moving the ball well with Joe Flacco under center, the defense simply cannot get stops. This situation has created quite a challenge for head coach Zac Taylor.

### Coaching Changes: Zac Taylor Stands Firm

There has been significant finger-pointing following this loss, prompting Taylor to address his coaching staff’s future. Despite the struggles, Taylor announced that he does **not** plan on making changes to his coaching staff.

Entering the 2025 season, it was clear the Bengals could face defensive issues. With so much investment in offensive stars like Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, the front office had limited flexibility to improve the defense during the offseason. For example, Trey Hendrickson’s contract was not finalized until just before the start of the campaign.

While Burrow’s toe injury complicated the offense, Flacco’s arrival has helped stabilize it. Since Flacco took over as starter, Cincinnati’s offense is averaging an impressive 32.8 points per game, which should be enough to win games. However, the defense has been allowing 36 points per game, resulting in a 1-3 record over that stretch.

All eyes are on first-year defensive coordinator Al Golden, who currently appears to have no clear answers. Although the roster presents challenges, no defense should allow over 35 points per game as the Bengals have recently.

Taylor commented on the situation:
“No. These are good football coaches. They’ve been successful everywhere they’ve been. We’re still in the first half of the season. We all know we got to play better as a football team. There’s been challenges our offense has faced over the course of the season. We worked through them. We’re playing better for it. There’s challenges our defense is facing right now. I’m confident that we’re going to work through it. We’re going to play better football and find a way to win some games. I believe in these guys. Absolutely. We’ll continue to work through it and find solutions.”

### Should Zac Taylor Fire Al Golden?

Golden earned widespread acclaim for turning the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s defense into one of college football’s best units during his three seasons as defensive coordinator. That success led Taylor to believe Golden could restore the Bengals’ defense.

Instead, defensive performance has deteriorated, raising questions about Golden’s job security after just nine games.

As the season progresses, all eyes will remain on both Golden and Taylor to see how they address the defensive struggles and whether the Bengals can find their footing.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/cincinnati-bengals/zac-taylor-staff-changes-al-golden/

After the Bengals scored late field goal, Thursday night’s game was far from over

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A variety of factors have combined to make NFL games that would otherwise feel like they’re over, not really over—until they’re truly over.

After the Bengals kicked the go-ahead field goal against the Steelers on Thursday night, the game definitely was not over. In past years? Probably it would have been. This year, three key changes have shifted that presumption:

1. The latest changes to kickoff procedures
2. The emergence of kickers with ranges approaching those of Gus the donkey
3. The revamped K ball procedures

These factors made receiver Tee Higgins’s widely-praised decision to eschew a touchdown and take a knee at the Pittsburgh seven-yard line less of a no-brainer than it was described to be.

With 1:39 to play, the Bengals had to bleed the clock—quarterback Joe Flacco wisely burned extra ticks prior to taking knees—before kicking the field goal. When seven seconds remained on the clock, the game was certainly not over.

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First, the Bengals faced a crucial decision about the kickoff.

The best outcome would have been a “dirty ball” kick that skittered into the end zone without being returned, placing the Steelers at the 20-yard line. The risk, however, was missing the landing zone and giving Pittsburgh the ball at their own 40.

The second-best outcome would have been to place the kick between the five-yard line and the goal line, forcing the Steelers to return the ball and lose precious seconds in the process. Yes, this carried a small risk of a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Instead, the Bengals opted to kick into the end zone, which gave the Steelers the ball at their own 35-yard line—just 13 yards away from an opportunity for kicker Chris Boswell to attempt an astonishing 70-yard field goal to win the game.

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Five years ago, that scenario would have prompted guffaws. Today, it’s more than plausible.

Replay Week 1: Boswell won the game against the Jets, 34-32, with a 60-yard field goal that likely would have been good from 70 yards or more.

One play. One pass. Thirteen yards. Six seconds or less.

The Steelers didn’t attempt to set up the kick for reasons not currently known. Instead, quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw to tight end Pat Freiermuth for a five-yard gain, taking four seconds to do so. This set up the “Master of the Hail Mary” with a non-zero chance to win the game with another ICBM-like throw to the end zone.

And that’s exactly what Aaron Rodgers did.

The ball had a chance. It was delivered to the end zone. The Bengals made a great play on the ball to save the victory.

—

So no, the game was not over when the Bengals took a 33-31 lead.

The Steelers had a chance to get the ball to their own 48-yard line, which would have given Boswell the opportunity to try a potential walk-off, 70-yard, game-winning field goal.

Ultimately, they rolled the dice on a repeat of the Rodgers-to-Rodgers Hail Mary that propelled the Packers past the Lions on a Thursday night nearly 10 years ago.

While the Bengals escaped with a win, the broader takeaway is this: We all need to adjust our thinking about when a game is truly over after a late score.

If a field goal is needed to win the game or force overtime, it doesn’t take much time to create the chance to try. And when the quarterback is Aaron Rodgers, there’s always a chance he’ll nail another Hail Mary.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/after-the-bengals-scored-late-field-goal-thursday-nights-game-was-far-from-over