Bengals show signs of life with Joe Flacco, but lose again as comeback falls short vs. Packers

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The first 30 minutes of the Joe Flacco era in Cincinnati produced more of the same for a stagnant Bengals offense that's floundered without injured quarterback Joe Burrow.

But there were signs after halftime that Cincinnati's offense could at least return to competence with Flacco at the helm. The effort didn't produce a win. But the Bengals put pressure on the Packers after a scoreless first half as Green Bay held on for a 27-18 win.

There was little early from Sunday's effort to suggest that Flacco is the answer Cincinnati needs. He was dreadful in a 4-of-9 start through most of the first half that produced just 13 passing yards. Four first-half Bengals drives ended with punts — three of them on 3-and-outs — and the other finished with a missed 67-yard field goal before halftime. Receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins continued to be non-factors.

But Flacco and the Bengals offense did improve as the game went along. Cincinnati came out of a scoreless first half in a 10-0 hole and marched 76 yards for a touchdown. The drive ended with a 2-yard fourth-and-goal touchdown pass from Flacco to tight end Tanner Hudson in the back of the end zone. 

The drive wasn't a picture of efficiency. It took 16 plays and 10:14 to cover the 76 yards and required a fourth-down conversion to complete. But it did produce points, which was a marked improved from the game's first two quarters.

The Bengals scored a field goal on their next drive, then got what they've so desperately been seeking since Burrow went down — a highlight play from Chase. With Green Bay leading, 24-10 and the Bengals facing fourth-and-5 from the Packers' 19-yard line, Flacco threw a fade to a tightly covered Chase at the goal line. 

Chase secured a remarkable back-shoulder catch in double coverage and rolled into the end zone for a touchdown. 

The score cut Green Bay's lead to one possession with 4:11 remaining in regulation.

But a porous Bengals defense that lost All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson to a back injury in the second quarter didn't give the Bengals offense a chance. Green Bay responded with a field goal drive that extended its lead back to two possessions with 1:52 remaining in the game. That field goal resulted in the 27-18 final score of the game.

With the win, the Packers improved to 3-1-1. The loss dropped the Bengals to 2-4 and into a deeper hole as they seek to salvage their season.

The Bengals acquired Flacco last week in a rare intra-division trade from the Cleveland Browns, hoping that the veteran could keep their season afloat in a in a weak AFC North amid the long-term toe injury to Burrow.

With Burrow playing alongside Chase, Higgins and Chase Brown, the Bengals were projected to field one of the league's most explosive offenses. Instead, behind three games of backup Jake Browning at quarterback, Cincinnati scored a total of 37 points and dropped from 2-0 to 2-3.

Flacco wasn't any better in four starts for the Browns (2 touchdowns, 6 interceptions) that resulted in his benching in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel. But the Bengals were desperate to stop the bleeding in a season that's not yet completely lost with the hope that Burrow may be able to return late in the season.

The Bengals will have to hope Flacco can get going earlier next week in a critical AFC North game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.