How Joe Flacco affects Sunday's Bengals-Packers game

The Bengals correctly determined that they couldn't continue with Jake Browning as their starting QB. Whether Joe Flacco fixes the problem is another matter, however.

When the Green Bay Packers’ coaching staff reconvened at 1265 Lombardi Ave. this week, they reviewed the latest game film from their upcoming opponent. That tape confirmed what had become apparent for weeks: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning had little hope of challenging a competent defense.

When the NFL originally scheduled Sunday’s Bengals-Packers matchup, it intended the game to showcase the quarterbacking talents of Joe Burrow and Jordan Love. The two 2020 first-round picks have developed into premier signal-callers, with Burrow garnering MVP consideration in multiple seasons and Love establishing himself as perhaps the most explosive downfield passer in the sport. A duel of those QBs, the NFL thought, would merit the national audience that comes with the late-afternoon kickoff.

Of course, football often doesn’t unfold as expected.

In Week 2, Burrow suffered a grade 3 turf-toe injury. The issue forced him to undergo surgery, putting him out of commission for several months. Browning replaced Burrow under center in that contest and managed to do just enough for Cincinnati to win. However, that outing did little to inspire confidence, and he fared even worse in subsequent appearances. The nadir came this past weekend when he tossed three picks and added a fumble.

“We’ll see where it goes,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Monday when asked if Browning would continue to start. “Like all personnel decisions, we’ve got to evaluate it. Jake’s been very accountable for how the game went for him. I’ve got to be accountable for how the game went for me as well. So, we’ll continue to progress here through the days.”

That evaluation didn’t take long to complete. On Tuesday, the Bengals traded with the division-rival Cleveland Browns to acquire veteran quarterback Joe Flacco.

At least officially, it remains somewhat unclear whether Flacco will start Sunday’s game against the Packers. He will have only a few days of practice and meetings to familiarize himself with his new teammates, hardly ideal for anyone in his position. Taylor has the opportunity to clarify the situation during his media availability on Tuesday.

At the same time, Flacco probably doesn’t need much time to get up to speed. The 40-year-old has over 17 seasons of NFL experience under his belt and has worked in offenses similar to the one Taylor runs in Cincinnati. That includes the system in which Flacco most recently played with the Browns. Outside of some terminology differences, that part of the transition shouldn’t prove challenging to him.

Assuming Flacco ends up starting this weekend, what changes from the Packers’ perspective?