A week and a half after his arrival in Cincinnati, Joe Flacco has so far saved the Bengals’ season. Flacco, 40, in his second start for his sixth NFL team, passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-31 blowout victory over the Steelers.
Ja’Marr Chase set a franchise record with 16 catches and finished with 161 yards and a touchdown, but it was Tee Higgins (6 receptions, 96 receiving yards, one touchdown) who made the game’s deciding play, catching a deep pass from Flacco and sliding downfield instead of scoring late. After three kneels by Flacco, Evan McPherson made the game-winning 36-yard field goal.
The Bengals weren’t officially out of the woods, as Aaron Rodgers — the Hail Mary king — got in one last shot, but DJ Ivey knocked him down to seal the victory.
The Steelers took the first drive and drove down the field, Aaron Rodgers capping it with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jonnu Smith, and the Steelers made it 10-0 early in the second quarter.
Then the Bengals flipped the script in the blink of an eye. Flacco capped the ensuing drive with a beautiful 8-yarder to Chase, Jordan Battle intercepted an ill-advised deep ball from Rodgers in double coverage, and three plays later Flacco found Higgins for a 29-yard catch and run.
DJ Turner II then made one of the best defensive plays of the year, snatching the ball from DK Metcalf (with help from a big throw from Geno Stone) for Rodgers’ second interception of the night, and Evan McPherson kicked a 49-yard field goal as time expired in the half.
The fireworks continued in the second half. Trailing 20-10, Rodgers snatched a magnificent 19-yard ball from Pat Freiermuth for a touchdown. Flacco responded immediately with a touchdown of his own ending in a Noah Fant touchdown, but Rodgers responded with his own touchdown pass to Darnell Washington to make the score 27-24, Cincinnati.
After a Bengals field goal, the teams traded punts – the only two punts of the second half – and Rodgers found Freiermuth for a 68-yard touchdown.
But as it turned out, Flacco had the last laugh and the Bengals got life.
