New Bengals QB Joe Flacco Faces TOUGH Challenge in Showdown vs Green Bay Packers

New Bengals QB Joe Flacco Faces TOUGH Challenge in Showdown vs Green Bay Packers

It’s Packers Bengals where the Cincinnati quarterback is the story this week, just not for the reasons we thought coming into the year. It’s a Packers Bengals crossover Thursday. Let’s go. [Music] You are locked on NFL Crossover, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. Welcome inside another crossover Thursday. Locked on Packers. Locked on Bengals. I’m Peter Bakowski, host of Locked on Packers with James Rene, host of Locked on Bengals. James, we have a ton to get to here. A lot that I think was pretty unexpected coming into the week. Crossover Thursday presented by Prize Picks. Download the Prize Picks app and use code locked on NFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. A uh a Tuesday news dump, I guess, in a way. uh the Cincinnati Bengals trading for Joe Flacco and in the more startling uh revelation here, they expect him to come in and and try and start this Sunday against the Packers at Lambeau Field. James, that’s the part of this that has me pretty shocked. Yeah, agreed. I’ve been talking about trading for a veteran for a couple of weeks now with the idea that maybe they could be ready for that Thursday night game at home against Pittsburgh. And so to make this move on Tuesday and make it very clear before Joe Burrow is even in town that in in gone into any meetings or practiced or anything that hey he’s going to start at Lambo. It’s uh it’s a testament to how much they respect his his ball knowledge. I will say that. I also think it’s proof of where they were at with Jake Browning over the past three weeks. And so yeah, it’s it’s flacco time here in the Queen City. I’m not sure I ever planned on saying that. And uh I’m excited to to see what he can do with these weapons at Lambo on Sunday. Yeah. And and you know, look, Jake Browning was not going they were not going to write songs about Jake Browning in Cincinnati, but the last time we saw him play, James, like extended play time, he played pretty well. Like what do you I we’ll get to the Joe Flacco it all in a second, but like what didn’t click this time? Because we saw him have 300 yard games not that long ago with this team. I don’t know. Like I don’t know why it didn’t click again because he looks like the same guy. He talks like the same guy. He carries himself the same in the locker room, has the same kind of funny humor and and all of those things. And then you look up and outside of garbage time touchdowns, which all of the the whopping four touchdowns that the Bengals scored in three games with Jake Browning starting, they all came in garbage time. Yeah. The games were already decided in all three of those matchups. If you take those four touchdowns away, they’ve been outscored 113 to9 when the game has been sort of hanging in the balance. And if you want to count them, fine, let’s do it. It’s 113 to 37, which is obviously not that good. Yeah. So, it’s it’s been really ugly. And and obviously, everyone’s going to point to the turnovers, which eight interceptions in in basically three and a half games. They win the Jags game after Joe Burrow gets hurt and and Browning comes back, but he threw three picks there. didn’t give them a chance against the Vikings and then has just really been bad over the past two weeks. And I think that’s when the Bengals kind of realized, hey, we need someone that can just operate our offense, run our offense because the the offensive line gave them a shot over the past couple of games and they were still getting blown out. Yeah. And that can’t happen with the weapons you have. So, I I get why they made this move even if it is surprising. And it’s uh it’s a guy that I don’t know. Can he unlock their offense? Can he not? I’m not sure. But Jake Browning certainly couldn’t rekindle or didn’t rekindle the 2023 magic that he had at the end of that season. You know what’s crazy is um the Jaguars have one loss this year and it is to Jake Browning’s Bengals um because he he led them down at the end of the game for the game-winning score. And it does seem like he Minnesota just sort of torpedoed his confidence and after that it was it was tentative. It was offtarget. If he moved one step off his spot the ball was going to be five yards offline. I mean, he just he looked like a different quarterback after that. Um, so Joe Flacco, there’s some overlap. Everyone runs the same version of the same offense here, but like the Kevin Stfansky offense, not so different in some of the base concepts to um a Zack Taylor offense. And something that that your co-host Jake LCO and I have talked about in the past is this offense in Cincinnati has actually looked different when Jake Browning has operated it versus when Joe Burrow has operated it. just because Joe Burrow can do things and can operate in ways that most quarterbacks just can’t. And so you can’t say, “Well, Jake Browning, you’re just going to play the Joe the Joe Burrow offense.” Joe Flacco is not going to be able to just play the Joe Burrow offense. No doubt. No doubt. And it’s I think this may be a new offense completely where obviously they’ll keep some of the same concepts and those things, but really really high level. What if it’s just swing for the fences and you’re going deep or you’re trying to get a weapon in space? Yeah. So, screens and deep balls and and that was kind of my logic. That that was kind of my logic with Russell Wilson and in the idea of him coming to Cincinnati and you think about Joe Flacco and everyone’s talking about how he can’t move. Well, how does this offense work? Well, that’s it. Hey, if if you see Jamar’s open, launch it because you have that arm that you have, Joe. And if he’s not, well, then throw it to Chase Brown in the flat and let’s live. Why Why hasn’t that been the plan already? Like why were they trying to make Jake Browning run an offense and not just say, “Hey, we’re just going to we’re going to give Jamar Chase six chances uh on the left sideline and T. Higgins six chances on the right sideline and see what happens.” I wonder if they they did try that some and they just realized that Jake Browning is so limited physically. I mean, he’s already he’s undrafted quarterback. Someone that when he was on the practice squad, I never thought had a chance of making the active roster. Like honestly, you know, I’ve co laughing, but like I get what you’re saying. Yeah. And and so for him to get to this point where we’re like surprised that he’s struggling as a starter, he’s overachieved like crazy at baseline and and Joe Flacco’s physically much more talented. He’s not going to win a sprint, but guess what? Quarterbacks aren’t paid to sprint. They’re they’re paid to to throw the football. But I I really truly think that’s probably what the Bengals said here is, hey, he may be 40, but that arm that arm’s still really live now and and and we can use that and even if he can’t move in the pocket. And obviously on the other side of it, if you’re the Packers, you’re like, we’re about to get pressure on this guy. We’re about to light this guy up and and get after him. And and obviously they saw him a few weeks ago and held him to 13 points. It was just all those those 13 points came and and the one touchdown I’ve already listen I’ve already Packer fans are in a dark place right now James but um or at least some of them are but the one touchdown was off an interception to the four yard line and the game-winning field goal was off a blocked field goal. They completed one pass on that drive. So it’s like it’s not like Joe Flacco was awesome against against this Packers defense. Um you know 36 attempts for 142 yards and a pick. That’s that’s bad. And so that was that was one of the things I wanted to talk about especially when we dug into the match ups here and we talked about this earlier in the week on locked on Packers. This offensive line is still a problem. And the the question I think is are you going to have time if you’re the Bengals. You want to huck it deep. Okay, great. I love that idea. Joe Flacco is going to give you a better chance to give T. Higgins and Jamar Chase, you know, moonballs down the field. The question is, are you going to have time? Especially this week with Micah Parsons. I mean, Aiden Hutchinson just had 12 pressures by himself against this offensive line. Are you going to have time this week uh to to get those moonballs down the field? Yeah, it’s TBD. I think because because what’s interesting here is is like Joe Flacco’s arm like he has more arm talent than Joe Burrow. Like from a a pure power standpoint. Like I don’t think anybody doubts that. And so like will he just like hit that back foot and throw it 54 yards and it touches the the ceiling but then drops right into Jamar’s lap? Like maybe that is the plan. I you know I I think that there’s there’s a path to that. But how often can you do that? And will this offense just be zero punts and like three touchdowns, two picks and and uh an interception or a fumble or or you know some some kind of weird other play that is strip sack. Like it might be that kind of of offense where it’s big plays on both sides of it and you’re seeing a just chaos the whole time which I’m here for. I can’t lie. I mean look the chaos the Packers have a little bit of a chaos quarterback themselves. Jordan Love is someone who um you know this was going to be Love against Burrow and you know same draft class. Love has made that that leap I think this season top five in in all the metrics you care about. I think if you look qualitatively he’s been one of the five best quarterbacks in the NFL this season to not have Jordan Love against Joe Burrow. It’s just frankly it’s just kind of a bummer. And it’s it is kind of a bummer too if you’re a Bengals fan that this defense is not any better because this this defense is a it’s a problem right now. We’re going to talk more about it but just topline it. What is the biggest problem right now with this Bengals defense aside from the fact that they can’t rush the passer and uh struggle in a lot of otherwise? Well, well, that’s it. You got to get consistent pressure. And if you’re not getting consistent pressure, then you can’t cause that chaos. Then the Joe Flaccos of the world can complete 68% of their passes against you and and give you everything you can handle in week one. And Joe Flacco’s best game statistically threw for 290 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals week one. So yeah, they’re going to have two drops that turn into picks. Hey, you don’t have to remind me that the drops help the the Bengals. And the the thing is the crazy part is this defense has been better than the offense. Like significantly better, which gives you an idea of where the Bengals are at right now. Uh it does. Let’s talk more about that Bengals defense and matchup with the Packers offense. That’s next on a locked on Packers locked on Bengals crossover Thursday. Mazda crafts cars for those who do more than simply move. Mazda delivers confidence with every ride. With more IIH’s top safety pick plus awards than anyone else as of August. From footwork to breath work, athletes sweat all the details. Mazda brings this same intention to how they craft every model. All-wheel drive standard in every crossover SUV. You can drive with confidence through almost any season. Like football players, Mazda sweats every detail. Because when you make every move count, impossible becomes irrelevant. Mazda, move and be moved. We’re back here. Locked on Packers, locked on a Bengals, a crossover Thursday. And uh James, this is a you mentioned the defense for the Bengals has played better than the offense. It is a low bar to clear. Um and uh that’s that’s the problem right now for the Cincinnati Bengals. why you make I wouldn’t say a panic quarterback trade move but something akin to a panic quarterback trade move. The Bengals change defensive coordinators in the offseason. Larumo out. The Colts have played really well. Um what what changes Packers? I’m sure a lot of Packer fans have watched you know the the Bengals in the playoffs in some of these big games against the Chiefs. What what has what has looked different and what do we expect to look different moving forward with with some of the changes that have been made personnel and otherwise? Well, I I think the biggest difference that I’ve noticed from this defense is they do seem like they may stink at times, but but but no, but they’re going to be on the same page. Like they’re not going to look completely lost. And there were a few times in in Denver where I was like, man, what’s up with this communication? But for the most part, they they’ve been able to respond and and make plays early on in the year. It was a couple of interceptions. You’re right. They take advantage of some drops against the Browns, but they forced a couple of picks. Same thing against Jacksonville, which really was the difference. The fact that they were able to force a couple of turnovers. And like last week, for example, they were just put in such bad position against the Lions time and time and time again that even when they force a punt, well, then they’re right back out there. Or even when they get an interception against the Broncos, well, then the offense goes three and out. And that’s what’s really tough. I I don’t want to be too critical of this defense. I don’t think they’re like a top 10 defense or anything like that, but I think they’ve held their own considering the positions they’ve been put in, especially over the past few weeks. What are they great at? I’m not sure they’re necessarily great at anything, and I still worry about the pass rush each and every week. That’s going to continue. That’ll be a theme. But do I think that they’re more on the same page than they were at times last year? Absolutely. I don’t think there’s as much fingerpointing because they’re on the same page, which is very basic, but it was a a real issue last year at times. Yeah. Not knowing where to be is is the easiest way on defense to get you beat. Like, you know, personnel deficiencies, there’s going to be talent deficiencies in the NFL. You’re going to get beat. These offensive skill players. I mean, look, the Bengals are the perfect example, right? Like, you could have the best corners out there. Jamar Chase and T. Higgins are still going to find a way to beat you. Um, and and so you have to be on the same page. That that tells me though, James, that we’re talking about a team that just like is not very talented. Is that is you like or at least has not has not been able to play consistent enough for that talent to be maximized. Like they have a you know plenty of pedigree on that side of the ball. Some high picks that they’ve used. Of course, Trey Hendrickson um getting paid a lot of money, but it they just it seems like they don’t have the game changers, the field tilters outside of Trey to consistently impact these games. like you look at all the numbers, all the efficiency numbers, they’re bottom five, bottom eight in in basically all of them. Um that that if what you’re saying is true, and I I’ll take your word for it. Um relative to certainly relative to last year, uh that that to me means there’s a talent problem here. Sure. I I do think when you talk about star power, it’s Trey and then there’s no true star. I think Daxo has been really good, really solid, but solid isn’t star. Logan Wilson has not played like a star. Demetrius Knight hasn’t played like a star. The injury to watch this week is Shamar Stewart because I actually do think that he has he has star potential and and that’s it is like I think DJ Turner’s had a good couple of games. I I think there are guys that have flashed being a good player. Jordan Battle had interceptions in backto-back weeks to start the season. like might be a lot of good or or solid, but you’re right, star needle movers, guys that are consistently going to be game changers that the Packers have to game plan for and think about. Right now, it’s just Trey. And so, if you take Trey away, how are you getting pressure on Jordan Love? And that’s why getting Shamar Stewart back is going to be a big part of this. I think it needs to be a big part of it is because he had a really good opener against the Browns, gets hurt against the Jags, and we haven’t seen him since. If he can play this week, that would go a long way toward helping a Bengals defense that, like I said, has been put in some bad spots. Uh there there isn’t the fingerpointing or anything like that like last year. But to your point, Miles Murphy hasn’t developed into a star. Had a sack last week, but hasn’t developed into a star. They haven’t had these guys that they drafted in the first or second round or third round become Pro Bowl candidates. And that stinks because you need multiple Pro Bowlers if you’re going to be a high-end defense. And the Bengals, they’re just not that right now. Yeah. I I was looking at their their their depth chart to to get, you know, get ready for this this week. And I was like, you know, I I kind of like DJ Turner. I kind of like Jordan Battle. I kind of like Dax Hill. I like Gino Stone. And and yet the you know the it seems like the whole is less than the sum of its parts in some ways and and I maybe that is sometimes like I think about the Packers defense and it was like the the key difference last year that elevated them from you know a bottom 10 defense to a top 10 defense. It was one player. It was Xavier McKini. Xavier McKini showing up in Green Bay last year changed everything about the way the Packers defense plays and it allowed them to make up for not not elite quarterback play by any means. Not elite certainly not elite quarterback talent. They got solid quarterback play. So when you have a player like that like Gino Stone again solid player um had one season where he had a bunch of interceptions but he’s not that field tilting gamechanging sort of player and sometimes just one player can coalesce everything that way. it can have everybody, you know, it things pieces fit. And I’ll say Micah Parsons has done that in a way as well where now you have a top 10 defense that we’ve seen them win games by themselves, shut down elite offenses because of what Micah can do because now Rhawn Gary slides down a spot and he’s your second pass rusher and Lucas Vaness slides down a spot and he’s your third edge rusher. Like there there’s that just that changes everything for your defense. And when you don’t have that, um, it’s it’s tough business. I I said at the outset, the number one reason why I think that the the Packers are going to win this week has nothing to do with the Bengals defense and everything to do with this offensive line. I just think this Packers pass rush can win the game almost by themselves, which is what they tried to do against Joe Flacco the first time and the Packers special teams refused to let them do it. Yeah. And and that’s what I think is interesting is can the Bengals and can and there’s some pressure on Zack Taylor and I mentioned this on yesterday’s show and we didn’t really get to we’re reacting to the flag. I wanted to ask you about this. Yeah. Like all right well they just made their third inseason trade play player acquisition since 1973. All three of these have happened during the Zack Taylor era. Last year they get a running back because they needed one. This year they get Joe Flacco. All right, Zack. Well, I’m I’m watching these other backup quarterbacks have success with these offensive minded head coaches. Like, the pressure is on now. And I get it. He’s 40 and he’s a year and a half younger than Zack Taylor. I don’t care. And I don’t think the Bengals uh should care. They need to find a way to to get moving on offense with these these horses. Like, you’re right that the game changers. You were describing Xavier McKenna and I’m like, that’s why you pay Jesse Bates because he could hide a bunch of flaws and the Bengals are still feeling that for sure. Yeah. I mean, that’s that’s it. You could have Trey Trey up front, Jesse on the back end, and it just kind of can come together. Logan Wilson never really took that step, right? Like there was some there was some hints that like, oh, he’s becoming that guy for the Bengals, and then he just like he he never he never really did. No, he didn’t. You’re right. You’re right. And it’s that’s painful when you invest that much in linebacker as well and and and you don’t have a star to show for it. It has kind of a rotating a rotating group of of players there outside of Wilson, too. And that that does not help when you can’t find any continuity. It’s nice to have two guys, you know, like the the Green Law Warner pairing like for a couple years. You like there is an importance to having that sort of continuity. That’s one of those positions that I think the continuity is underrated for sure. And it just you need game changers. And so their game changers are on offense. And clearly Zach’s like, “Jake isn’t getting the ball to our game changers.” All right, fine. Well, we got you a new quarterback. So, the pressure is on Zack, I think, because this offense is still going to need to care. As weird as it sounds, be the reason why they make a run here if they do. And they’ve been so bad that it’s hard to to say, “Oh, well, that’s going to happen.” Well, it needs to happen. And so, all eyes are on Zack Taylor, and I think there’s certainly some more pressure on him following this Joe Flacco trade. And, you know, on defense, they’re going to need Shamar Stewart. I think that’s the one guy that could be a game changer that hasn’t developed into that yet. Yeah, the Packers um getting getting back this week. Aaron Banks, their starting left guard, he has returned to practice this week. We’ll see if he plays. We don’t know um here as we re-record this. Um Zack Tom, the starting right tackle has returned. And Christian Watson has returned to practice back from PUP 247 days, James, after tearing his ACL, he is back and running, not even with a sleeve on his knee. He was in training camp apparently running 21 plus miles per hour and was like, I can get to 23 like I’m not all the way back yet. And we were all just like, oh my god. Like that his his ability to take the top off of defenses is just so valuable to this team. And now you have a guy in Christian Watson who runs low four threes and Matthew Golden who runs high four2s. If you can protect Jordan Love, this feels like a game where he he can create opportunities down the field. Um, and and if you can avoid mistakes, like the Packers lost the game against the Browns because of one late interception. The Bengals have won some games, you mentioned it, because of some interceptions. The Packers I feel like a broken record coming on here every week and saying if the Packers don’t turn the ball over, they will win. And I I feel the same way about this week. If the Packers don’t turn the ball over, they will win. Yeah, I get that. I totally do. And I think at home against a team that is starting a quarterback that got their four days, you should expect to force some turnovers. Yeah, the Bengals are going to say the opposite, right? That we need to take care of the ball and all those things. And their defense does need to force some turnovers. Give this offense a short field here or there, especially early on to get into a rhythm. And I I think it’s it’s such a such a huge factor. By the way, you mentioned Christian Watson. The Bengals could would love to have another deep threat alongside Ticks and Jamar Chase, especially with Joe Flacco throwing the ball. So maybe everyone knows how much I love fast receivers. I might kidnap Christian Green Bay out out of land, you know, surprised this off season. All right. Do the Bengals have a path to victory here. We will talk about that next on a locked on Packers, locked on Bengals crossover Thursday. Today’s episode brought to you by our friends at Game Time. The NFL season in full swing now and there’s nothing better than being in the stadium surrounded by fans cheering on your team. And let’s be honest, getting tickets can be a hassle between cues, login screens, and prices jumping at checkout. It’s frustrating. I just went through this. Getting tickets for me and I’m take my son to his first NFL game. I can’t wait to go. That’s why you have to use Game Time because the app gives the advantage back to fans. It makes it super simple. You can see the exact view from your seat before you buy. It’s faster, it’s cheaper, and less stressful than any other way that I bought tickets. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use code lockdown NFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, that’s promo code LOL O CK E D O N for $20 off. Swipe, tap, ticket, go download Game Time today. Today’s episode also brought to you by our friends at FanDuel. The NFL season is here and FanDuel has an offer you don’t want to miss. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and get $300 in bonus bets. If you win, that’s right. Pick a bet, put down five bucks, and if it hits, you’ll unlock $300 in bonus bets to be used across the app. The Bengals, they make a trade for Joe Flacco. The Packers had been 14 and a half point favorites. I’m double checking on the FanDuel app as we speak. And the line after the trade has moved to um Packers favored by 14 and a half. So go you can you can make money on this. I I already have the Packers money line and the over because I think there’s going to be points in this game. So what are you waiting for? Visit FanDuel.com to download the FanDuel app today. All right, we’re back here. Locked on Packers, locked on Bengals, a crossover Thursday. And uh James, I mentioned 14 and a half point favorites for the Packers. Um this is this is scary territory for Packer fans. They they kind of don’t know what to do. I think it’s a Midwest guilt thing. They don’t understand how to be favorites. It makes them nervous because right when you have expectations, it can set up disappointment. And guess who has been the author of disappointment the one time it has happened where the Packers have lost the season? Joe Flacco. So, there’s there’s a this seems a little weird to me, but there’s a little bit of a boogeyman uh effect here. Um, if you were going to put together a plan, let’s say you just get to magic wand. Okay. If if the Bengals do X, Y, and Z, they they can win. What are what is X, what is Y, and what is Z? X would be one, score touchdowns in the first quarter because they haven’t since I don’t think they did against Jacksonville. It might have been against Cleveland. I mean, it’s been it’s been they were down 48-3, 28-3, and 28-3. So, yeah. No, it definitely wasn’t with Jake Browning. I just the Joe Burrow era, it it just seems like months ago, and it wasn’t that long ago. So, and it wasn’t that great when we had the Joe Burrow era even. It wasn’t. No, but I do think they had a first quarter touchdown in one of those uh in one of those games. But score early first and foremost. Two, utilize your big big weapons. And this needs to be the the Jamar Chase T. Higgins show. T. Higgins has been a real non-factor for most of the season. That can’t be the case now with Joe Flacco. And obviously everything that goes with that where you’re going to have to protect Joe. You’re going to have to be able to get the ball downfield and get the ball to your weapons. And then the third one on defense is create chaos, create big plays, turnovers, fumbles, sacks. th those are the type of things that can put the Packers behind the chains, give you a chance and and certainly flip the field and take the the crowd out of the game a little bit. So, it’s it’s really a highlevel stuff, but that was their plan last week for sure, I thought, was they were going to spread the ball around to their weapons and they were going to try to to force a few turnovers against the Lions because they knew what that Lions offense was and uh they forced a turnover and they didn’t score when the game was on the line, you know, when the game was still hanging in the balance. So, they’re they’re going to have to fix those things. And if they do that, then could they have a chance? Yeah. I mean, Jamar Chase and T. Higgins are freaks and Trey Hendrickson is awesome. But, uh, there’s no doubt that the the odds that are not only stacked against them, it’s a a stacked deck right now against the Bengals going into Lambo. Yeah. I look, I I did the same thing with Spencer German, our pal from locked on Browns, and and you know, we we we were sort of laughing about the Browns path to victory, and then the Browns freaking won. So, we we see strange things that happen in the NFL all the time. And I don’t want to make it seem I’ve been saying for, you know, weeks now, there is no, you know, our sisters of perpetual sorrow game in the NFL. Those games do not exist. Every team can win any week. Um, and so the Packers are still going to have to play a solid game to win. And the Bengals are capable of winning. To me, it’s no turnovers, no big plays on defense. So, don’t turn the ball over on offense and don’t give up the big plays on defense because if you do that, that’s that’s the game. Like, the Packers were going to win uh against the Browns, against Joe Flacco, and it was one interception late that gets returned to the four. Even if that interception just gets like if he just stops where he is, they might only get a field goal and and the Packers might still win that game. Those are the the moments. And then against the Cowboys, it was the blocked extra point. The special teams, James, is is bad. It’s one of the worst special teams units in the NFL right now. It’s poorly coached. They don’t prioritize it. There are a lot of reasons why um the one of the recipes in a in an upset. If you’re a 14 and a half point underdog, what do you need? A blocked punt, a blocked kick, a big return, something like that. You know, that first quarter score you mentioned, you get a return, right? You get a you get a big time return or you flip the field on a punt or, you know, something like that happens. Um, that can’t happen for the Packers. They have to get that stuff buttoned up. And again, if they do, like I there’s there’s a lot of reasons to think the Packers are going to win. Um, and and that that like it’s the dumb things, the big things, the catastrophic things like James Matt Laflur was talking about the special teams and he goes, “Yeah, when we’ve had issues, they’ve just been catastrophic issues and if we can clean those up, like we’ll be okay.” And it’s just sort of like, yeah, but they’re catastrophic issues. Like these are huge problems when they happen. And so it’s kind of special teams I always say is like um plumbing. Like you don’t really think about it until you have a problem. And usually when you have a problem, you have a big effing problem. And right now the Packers there are there are wa there’s water coming through the ceiling right now for the Packer special teams. And and until that gets fixed, until we feel confident that that’s buttoned up, I think that’s going to make the Packer the Packer fans nervous every week. Sure. I totally get it. And that is the path. I guarantee you the Bengals are talking about that as well. And heck, Evan McFersonson’s been really good kicking wise this year. And so, can you have the advantage there? Can you get out to an early edge where you’re uh you take the crowd out of it a little bit? Or is it the other way? Because they’ve seen it firsthand in Minnesota. Packers fans are well aware of this how hard it is to play in Minnesota when you’re down early. Yeah. And that crowd gets into it. Denver, it was the same way. you get down and it snowballs really fast. And so that’s huge, huge, huge. Uh in the special teams, I’m glad you mentioned that because the Bengals could certainly use a Charlie Jones punt return or kickoff return uh for a touchdown or a couple of Evan McFerson field goals instead of Ryan Rico punts from 50 plus. I think that would uh that would help their cause as well. Yeah, Zach Taylor has to stop being a coward when it comes to his kick go decisions, but that’s a that’s a separate issue. Um the the the thing too, James, is I mentioned the restless Packer fans. If this is like 107 10 77 at the end of the first quarter, there are going to be some tight sphincters at Lambeau Field. Like they are ready to be, you know, mad about all of this. So I I said on Monday like this has to be a game where you you come out and you’re just up 14 nothing because the the fans are going to get restless. And if you do that, then all of a sudden you make the the Bengals onedimensional and that they just I think that’s untenable for them. Like they’re just not going to be able to sustain offense that way. So coming out I like I like your your thing for the the Bengals for the Packers. Like come out and start fast. Just put the game away in the first first quarter. Like we’ve seen the Bengals be in that position the last three games. So we know it can be done. No, no doubt. And and that’s why starting just differently where your defense doesn’t feel like it’s going to be out on on the field the whole time and trailing the whole time and you put yourself in that position. The pressure should be on the Packers though because it’s a game they should win. Yeah. Joe Flacco 5 days after being traded. Like they should play sort of free and and we’ll see if they do. I I don’t know if that means pulling off an upset and and shocking the NFL world in in week six, but uh you know there there’s something to that especially if they can get off to a good start and and take a lead early. Well, we will see and we will be back this week with much more here. Locked on Packers, locked on Bengals live after the game. All that good stuff this week. So stay locked on Packers and locked on Bengals.

The Cincinnati Bengals are officially turning to Joe Flacco ahead of Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers.

Flacco will start for Cincinnati and looks to lead the Bengals to their first win since Week 2. It’ll be much easier said than done with Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers’ defense waiting for him.

James Rapien talks with Peter Bukowski of Locked On Packers about the Bengals’ trade for Flacco, the decision to start him and so much more!

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