Predicting every pre-bye Bengals game after Joe Flacco's stellar debut
The Cincinnati Bengals had to be encouraged about what they saw from quarterback Joe Flacco in his debut this past Sunday. Although the result was a 27-18 road loss in Green Bay, Flacco didn't flinch when the Bengals were shut out at halftime.
It's a big ask for Flacco to turn around on Thursday night and knock off the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers in prime time — or so it would seem. Flacco has as much familiarity squaring off with Mike Tomlin as any opposing head coach in the NFL, thanks to all his years of matchups in Baltimore.
So bearing that insider knowledge of the general Tomlin-Steelers vibe, and the fact that Flacco will have plenty of prep time for the subsequent game, I thought it'd be fun to dream up how the Bengals might fare before their Week 10 bye with some predictions before
Week 7 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (TNF)
Too bad this piece didn't go up before Week 6, because with the football gods as my witness, I predicted a 27-17 Green Bay victory. So it wasn't a total shock when the Bengals came out flat at Lambeau Field. Flacco had driven down I-71 from Cleveland mere hours before the team traveled.
Anyway, on the Steelers: Are we sure they're that good? They needed approx. 1,765 fumbles by the Patriots to win by seven points in Week 3. They beat the Carson Wentz-led Vikings by a few points across the pond before their bye.
If you look at the common opponents between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, you'd not only see Minnesota, but also Flacco's ex-team, DAAA Browns. The Steelers just beat them by 14, whereas the Joe Burrow-led Bengals only won by a point in Cleveland in the season opener.
I just have a weird feeling about this one. Trey Hendrickson's back injury looms large. However, if Flacco can get the offense in a bit of a better spot than it was versus the Packers, Cincinnati has enough playmakers, desperation, and a home-field advantage to pull a stunner to kick off Week 7.
Prediction: Bengals 24, Steelers 14
Week 8 vs. New York Jets
Three extra days to prepare for the 0-6 New York Football Jets? They who employ a starting QB who cannot throw the football or read a defense fast enough in Justin Fields? They who have a defensive head coach in Aaron Glenn, yet can't stop a soul?
And it's at Paycor Stadium! To quote Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton in Avengers: Endgame, "Don't. Don't give me hope."
Because I tell you what. Don't let Joe Cool get
Yes, the Bengals are losers of four straight. I just get the sense that a win over the Squealers could really galvanize this locker room into beating the snot out of Gang Green the following week.
Prediction: Bengals 31, Jets 10
Week 9 vs. Chicago Bears
And that brings us to yet another home game. For those keeping track with advanced data at home, I believe that's three consecutive hosting gigs for the Bengals?
And could this stretch of gettable games possibly come at a better time? I contend no. All the more reason to applaud Duke Tobin and the front office for going to get Flacco. Zac Taylor had a hand in that too, but OOF imagine if we were still rolling with Jake Browning.
Anyway, Bears head coach Ben Johnson can coach circles around Taylor when it comes to scheme. The question is, can Johnson's still-developing field general Caleb Williams execute well enough?
My concern here is more to do with Cincinnati's 28th-ranked run defense. Chicago has the high-end personnel in its offensive trenches to handle the Bengals' front seven.
Neither of these teams are defensively sound relative to the best units across the league. Expect a high-scoring weird one, where the Bengals force Williams into a boneheaded mistake that proves to be the difference.
Prediction: Bengals 28, Bears 24
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Mike Vrabel Tunes Out Drama as He Prepares for Patriots’ Clash with Former Team
Six years stand between the Patriots and their last start better than the current 4-2 record New England carries into leaf-peeping season.
Last season when the Patriots rolled into Nashville to play the Tennessee Titans, their former head coach Mike Vrabel was working as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns, and New England lost 20-17 in overtime.
Vrabel, back in the picture in a big way these days, will stand on the visitor's sideline Sunday when the AFC-leading Patriots -- with a coaching staff and front office with 13 former Tennessee staffers and a roster that includes six former Titans -- take on his former employer in Nashville.
"There is going to be, probably, a lot to be said about this," Vrabel said. "I think it would file under the category of, is it interesting or important? I would probably say this would be very interesting.
"But in the end, not very important to our preparation or what we need to continue to try to do to improve as a team. But having spent six years there or seven years there, I think it'll be nice to see some people that I haven't seen in a few years that helped us win, players and staff. But we've got a huge job here to do as we prepare for them."
While he might not want the attention or spotlight sure to follow his return to the Music City, credit Vrabel for a dramatic turnaround of the passing offense and run defense. New England hasn't allowed 50 rushing yards to any ballcarrier this season and is fourth in the NFL against the run (83.5 rushing yards per game).
Second-year quarterback Drake Maye is second in the NFL with a 73.2 completion percentage and the Patriots are sixth in the NFL in passing.
Vrabel was 54-45 as Titans head coach, winning back-to-back AFC South titles in 2020 and 2021. They're 4-19 since firing Vrabel in January 2024. They're again in the midst of a transition after Vrabel's replacement, Brian Callahan, was fired earlier this week. Mike McCoy is the interim coach running the team this week.
Tom Brady was still the Patriots' quarterback in 2019 when New England last had a start this successful. They opened with eight consecutive wins and went 12-4 that season before Brady left to Tampa Bay after being eliminated from the playoffs -- by Vrabel and the Titans.
Brady's highest completion percentage in a full season -- 68.9 in 2007 -- is the standing team record.
New England was 1-5 after six games each of the past two seasons.
