Are the Bengals Desperate Enough for Joe Flacco to Work?
There is no clearer way to state Joe Burrow’s importance than to watch the Cincinnati Bengals without him. With Burrow, the team is a perennial contender that has been to a Super Bowl. Since he landed on injured reserve, they have barely resembled a professional football team.
This reality has led to what can only be seen as a desperation trade. After a three-game slide, the Bengals sent a fifth-round pick to the rival Cleveland Browns on Tuesday for quarterback Joe Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round pick. Flacco, who was benched for a rookie by the 1-4 Browns, is now being asked to save Cincinnati’s offense.
It’s a low-cost move, but it comes with significant questions. Flacco is 40 years old and, in the last year, has been benched for both Anthony Richardson Sr. and Dillon Gabriel. The idea that he can join a new team in October, learn the offense on the fly, and lead a playoff charge seems like wishful thinking.
But the Bengals had to do something. Under Burrow’s previous injury replacement, Jake Browning, the team has been uncompetitive. In the last three games, Cincinnati has been outscored 69-6 in the first half and has not scored a touchdown unless trailing by double digits. With the season spiraling, the coaching staff and front office may have felt their seats getting hot. Flacco is unlikely to be a savior, but he’s a different option, and the team may be satisfied if he can simply make the offense look competent again.
Panic Meter: A serious panic move.
Who is Left on the Chargers’ Offense?
The Los Angeles Chargers’ hot 3-0 start feels like a distant memory. Now on a two-game losing streak, the team’s season isn’t ruined by the losses, but it might be by injuries.
The offensive line was supposed to be anchored by the league’s best tackle duo, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. Slater is now out for the season, and Alt has been sidelined with a high ankle sprain. The situation worsened in the backfield when running back Najee Harris tore his Achilles. This week, his replacement, Omarion Hampton—who looked like a potential Offensive Rookie of the Year—suffered an ankle injury that landed him on injured reserve.
Now, the Chargers turn to Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal, a significant step down in talent. While the team is well-coached and still has Justin Herbert throwing to good receivers, the sheer volume of injuries to critical players could wreck a season that began with so much promise.
Panic Meter: Don’t invest in Chargers playoff tickets yet.
The Below-.500 Chiefs, Again
Had the Kansas City Chiefs held a lead for the final 1:45 on Monday night, they would be 3-2 and tied for first in the AFC West. Instead, Trevor Lawrence led the Jacksonville Jaguars on a game-winning drive, dropping the Chiefs to 2-3 while the Jaguars improved to 4-1.
That record isn’t a death sentence, but the path forward is difficult. Next, the Chiefs host the Detroit Lions, who may be the best team in the NFL, putting a shocking 2-4 start squarely in play. Furthermore, the Denver Broncos, fresh off a win over the Eagles, have emerged as a real threat to win the division. The Chiefs are still a good team and will get receiver Rashee Rice back in Week 7, so it would be foolish to write them off. However, they are digging a hole for themselves, and the division title is no longer a certainty.
Panic Meter: No need to freak out yet, but it’s possible they don’t win the division.
Jaxson Dart and Rookie Struggles
After a solid performance in a Week 1 victory, Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart came back to earth. In his second start, he was responsible for three of the team’s five turnovers in a loss to the Saints. While he had some positive moments, it was an overall poor showing, and he is also battling a hamstring injury.
This is simply life with a rookie quarterback. The immediate, consistent success of players like Jayden Daniels and C.J. Stroud is the exception, not the rule. Dart, a first-round pick, needs to remain the starter to play through these inevitable slumps. He has clear playmaking ability and must be allowed to grow. As long as his injury isn’t significant, the Giants should stick with him. He won’t be perfect, and that should never have been the expectation.
Panic Meter: Stay the course.
