The Chicago Bears are currently gearing up for a matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. While both teams have had struggles on the defensive side of the ball, the Bengals' offense has been red hot since trading for Joe Flacco. That said, the Bears may catch a break on that front in Week 9.
According to Ian Rapoport, Flacco is currently dealing with an AC Joint injury in his throwing shoulder and his status is up in the air for Sunday. Given his age, there is a real chance he may not be able to go on Sunday. If this is the case, it would be a huge advantage for the Bears' defense.
Joe Flacco's Status in Question Against the Bears On Sunday
Although Chicago lost to a backup quarterback in Tyler Huntley last week, this situation is a lot different. Cincinnati decided to move off of backup Jake Browning in favor of trading for Flacco. In Browning's four starts this season, he completed 64.5% (80/124) of his passes for 757 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions.
His two biggest issues this year were turnovers and not targeting Ja'Marr Chase. In Browning's start, Chase recorded 30 receptions on 39 targets for 348 yards and three touchdowns. Since Flacco took over, he has 38 receptions on 53 targets for 346 yards and two touchdowns.
That could be a problem for against a Bears secondary that is severely banged-up. If Flacco plays, he’ll likely find success attacking Chicago’s corners and safeties. If Browning starts, though, the Bears’ defense has a chance to contain the Bengals’ offense.
Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will need to have a solid game plan in place no matter who starts at quarterback. Disguising coverages and creating pressure will be key. Browning has struggled to read defenses and tends to force throws into tight windows, which often leads to turnovers. Meanwhile, Flacco's 18+ years of experience help him find the answers quickly when defenses try to disguise.
If Browning plays and the Bears' injured defense is able to force him to turn the ball over, it puts them in a great position to win. As a result, Flacco's injury status is something Bears fans will be monitoring the rest of this week.