For the first time in nearly a month, there is optimism surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals.Cautious optimism. But optimism, nonetheless.On Wednesday, head coach Zac Taylor confirmed the Bengals will have a new quarterback for this week’s game, when Cincinnati heads to historic Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers.After four starts with the Cleveland Browns, Joe Flacco has made the trip south on Interstate-71 and will start for Cincinnati this week as the Bengals look to snap a three-game losing streak and get the offense back on its feet.Can Flacco help the Bengals get out of a three-game rut and earn their second road victory of the season? Here’s what to watch for on Sunday.How Will The Flacc-Attack Look?Comparing the last three starts from Jake Browning to the last three starts made by Flacco (he was benched for rookie Dillon Gabriel prior to last week’s game against Minnesota) and the upgrade seems minimal. Jake Browning (Weeks 3-5): 172.0 average passing yards, 64.1 completion percentage, 4 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions Joe Flacco (Weeks 2-4): 175.0 average passing yards, 53.9 completion percentage, 1 passing touchdown, 4 interceptionsThe Browns have not had a 100-yard receiver in any game this year, including last week’s game started by Gabriel, and Flacco has not thrown for more than 200 yards since Week 1, against Cincinnati.However, the big asterisk in comparing the two quarterbacks, and one of the reasons the Bengals are banking on this move working, is Cleveland does not have Cincinnati’s receiver depth.Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman, respectfully, are not Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.Browning wasn’t able to get it done with the latter paring, with Higgins especially suffering: In games Browning has started, Higgins has caught no more than three balls and has not eclipsed 33 yards in total receiving output.The Bengals season, at this point, rests on the bet that Flacco will be able to feed the Bengals playmakers and see more explosive plays, like Cincinnati did in the fourth quarter Sunday against Detroit.New Life For Running Game?While Flacco’s passing attack wasn’t dynamite in Cleveland, the Browns were efficient in one area the Bengals have, so far, been wildly unsuccessful in: The run game.After totaling just 29 rushing yards against the Bengals in the season opener, the Browns have logged the following rushing yard totals in games started by Flacco: 115 (at Baltimore), 96 (vs. Green Bay), 79 (at Detroit).By comparison, here are the Bengals team per game rushing totals: 46 (at Cleveland), 48 (vs. Jacksonville), 53 (at Minnesota), 53 (at Denver), 85 (vs. Detroit).In his weekly press conference Wednesday, Zac Taylor said one of the things he discussed on Flacco’s travel from Cleveland to Cincinnati was the run game plan.Starting running back Chase Brown is averaging just 2.5 yard per carry this season, collecting 160 yards on 65 carries with one touchdown. If the offensive line can hold up against a stout Green Bay defensive front, Flacco has helped Cleveland establish a strong running game this season and could bring some of that success down the Buckeye State with him to Cincinnati.Watch Out For No. 1Outside of Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (who had two sacks and five tackles against the Bengals in Week 1), Green Bay defensive end Micah Parsons could be the best defender the Bengals will face this season.In four games with the Packers since being traded from the Dallas Cowboys, the 4-time Pro Bowler has 2.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits, disrupting opponents’ backfields as much as any edge rusher in the NFL.“It’s a great defense, number one,” Taylor said. “With Micah, it continues to be a great defense and he does a great job affecting the passer, they all do up front.”Parsons is the centerpiece of what the Packers do defensively, but he’s not the only key contributor on a defense that ranks 11thin the NFL in points allowed per game.Rashan Gary comes into Sunday’s game with 4.5 sacks, Devonte Wyatt has two sacks and linebacker Quay Walker has three tackles for loss and a pair of quarterback hits.In the secondary, Green Bay only has two interceptions this season – one apiece by Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams.Despite that, the Packers allow the second-fewest yards per play in the NFL, trailing only the Browns, who defeated them in Week 3.

GREEN BAY, Wis. —

For the first time in nearly a month, there is optimism surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals.

Cautious optimism. But optimism, nonetheless.

On Wednesday, head coach Zac Taylor confirmed the Bengals will have a new quarterback for this week’s game, when Cincinnati heads to historic Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers.

After four starts with the Cleveland Browns, Joe Flacco has made the trip south on Interstate-71 and will start for Cincinnati this week as the Bengals look to snap a three-game losing streak and get the offense back on its feet.

Can Flacco help the Bengals get out of a three-game rut and earn their second road victory of the season? Here’s what to watch for on Sunday.

How Will The Flacc-Attack Look?

Comparing the last three starts from Jake Browning to the last three starts made by Flacco (he was benched for rookie Dillon Gabriel prior to last week’s game against Minnesota) and the upgrade seems minimal.

Jake Browning (Weeks 3-5): 172.0 average passing yards, 64.1 completion percentage, 4 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions Joe Flacco (Weeks 2-4): 175.0 average passing yards, 53.9 completion percentage, 1 passing touchdown, 4 interceptions

The Browns have not had a 100-yard receiver in any game this year, including last week’s game started by Gabriel, and Flacco has not thrown for more than 200 yards since Week 1, against Cincinnati.

However, the big asterisk in comparing the two quarterbacks, and one of the reasons the Bengals are banking on this move working, is Cleveland does not have Cincinnati’s receiver depth.

Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman, respectfully, are not Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Browning wasn’t able to get it done with the latter paring, with Higgins especially suffering: In games Browning has started, Higgins has caught no more than three balls and has not eclipsed 33 yards in total receiving output.

The Bengals season, at this point, rests on the bet that Flacco will be able to feed the Bengals playmakers and see more explosive plays, like Cincinnati did in the fourth quarter Sunday against Detroit.

New Life For Running Game?

While Flacco’s passing attack wasn’t dynamite in Cleveland, the Browns were efficient in one area the Bengals have, so far, been wildly unsuccessful in: The run game.

After totaling just 29 rushing yards against the Bengals in the season opener, the Browns have logged the following rushing yard totals in games started by Flacco: 115 (at Baltimore), 96 (vs. Green Bay), 79 (at Detroit).

By comparison, here are the Bengals team per game rushing totals: 46 (at Cleveland), 48 (vs. Jacksonville), 53 (at Minnesota), 53 (at Denver), 85 (vs. Detroit).

In his weekly press conference Wednesday, Zac Taylor said one of the things he discussed on Flacco’s travel from Cleveland to Cincinnati was the run game plan.

Starting running back Chase Brown is averaging just 2.5 yard per carry this season, collecting 160 yards on 65 carries with one touchdown.

If the offensive line can hold up against a stout Green Bay defensive front, Flacco has helped Cleveland establish a strong running game this season and could bring some of that success down the Buckeye State with him to Cincinnati.

Watch Out For No. 1

Outside of Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (who had two sacks and five tackles against the Bengals in Week 1), Green Bay defensive end Micah Parsons could be the best defender the Bengals will face this season.

In four games with the Packers since being traded from the Dallas Cowboys, the 4-time Pro Bowler has 2.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits, disrupting opponents’ backfields as much as any edge rusher in the NFL.

“It’s a great defense, number one,” Taylor said. “With Micah, it continues to be a great defense and he does a great job affecting the passer, they all do up front.”

Parsons is the centerpiece of what the Packers do defensively, but he’s not the only key contributor on a defense that ranks 11thin the NFL in points allowed per game.

Rashan Gary comes into Sunday’s game with 4.5 sacks, Devonte Wyatt has two sacks and linebacker Quay Walker has three tackles for loss and a pair of quarterback hits.

In the secondary, Green Bay only has two interceptions this season – one apiece by Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams.

Despite that, the Packers allow the second-fewest yards per play in the NFL, trailing only the Browns, who defeated them in Week 3.