PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals' plan to have Joe Flacco keep them competitive until Joe Burrow can return from toe surgery has hit a major snag.
Flacco was riding high after his first game against the Pittsburgh Steelers this season, a 33-31 victory on Oct. 16. But the 40-year-old struggled in Sunday's rematch, throwing a costly interception as the Bengals lost 34-12
to extend their skid to three games.“We have to find a way to scratch and
claw, get a win and get that feeling back we had three weeks ago when we beat Pittsburgh,” coach Zac Taylor said. “That’s our only option right now.”
The Bengals (3-7) lost four straight before beating the Steelers last month. They haven't won since, and their chances of staying in contention in the weak AFC North are dwindling.
“Our goal was to be 3-0 in the division coming out of this game,” Taylor said. “But that’s not how it played out.”
Flacco, making his 200th career start, delivered his worst performance since he arrived in Cincinnati last month to take over for ineffective backup Jake Browning, who had initially stepped in after Burrow got hurt.
Burrow started practicing this week, opening his 21-day window to return, but the two-time Pro Bowler was never expected to play Sunday.
Flacco completed 23 of 40 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown. The game-changing play was an errant throw over the middle that Kyle Dugger turned into a 73-yard pick-6.
“We made mistakes and they capitalized,” Flacco said.
Flacco had been pushing the ball to the Bengals' star receivers, but they were quiet on Sunday. Tee Higgins caught three passes for 63 yards and the Bengals’ only touchdown, and Ja’Marr Chase was limited to just three catches for 30 yards.
Chase was also involved in a heated fourth-quarter exchange with Steelers veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey, who was ejected after grabbing Chase’s facemask with his left hand and taking a swing with his right, accused Chase of spitting on him. Chase denied the accusation.
“He didn’t like some of the words I told him,” Chase said. “We’ve been going back and forth the whole time, so I’m sure something got under his skin.”
The Steelers put the game away when cornerback James Pierre scored on a 32-yard fumble recovery.
“You have to give them credit,” Taylor said. “They won the turnover battle 2-0 and that’s the recipe for success. I don’t think the score is indicative of how the game played through three quarters, but they did the things you have to do to win and they had a chance to run away with it.”
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