Joe Flacco didn't practice Wednesday and is 50-50 for Sunday's game against the Bears (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Local 12) at Paycor Stadium as Bengals head coach Zac Taylor says he deals with an injured throwing shoulder.

At the IEL Indoor Facility to get away from the rain, backup Jake Browning took the first reps for the first time since the Bengals pulled off the Oct. 7 trade with Cleveland for Flacco.

Taylor wouldn't rule out Flacco as a starter or as a backup for Chicago ("We'll see as we get through the week"), and came away impressed with Flacco's desire to make his fourth Bengals start in the last game before the Nov. 9 bye.

"He wasn't here in the offseason. He wasn't invested in our training camp," Taylor said. "It would be easy to make a decision that there's no way I'm playing. I've got an AC joint, we've got a bye week next week, so let's just let this thing heal up. That has not been the communication he's given to me at all.

"Ultimately, he may not be able to play, we may make that decision. For him just to want to put it out there for our team, himself, like he said before, he's just a football player, that's what he does. That certainly goes a long way with me."

Here's why Taylor thinks they'd be OK if Flacco could play on Sunday even if he didn't practice much. In three games, Flacco has posted a 100.1 passer rating and thrown for 754 yards, fifth most in the league during the last three weeks:

"You've seen what he's done. Came in and played on a Thursday after three days of practice, so I think if anybody in this league can get by on minimal reps right now, it's him."

Prowling Bears

In Flacco's three starts, the Bengals haven't committed a turnover. When the deal was swung, Browning had thrown eight interceptions. Now here come the Bears leading the NFL in turnover differential.

"We've just got to play every down with a clear plan as to what you're going to do with the football and know your keys and play with vision, don't guess and make responsible decisions," said Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher before practice.

"That's the framework we always talk about it … quarterbacks, specifically, who make the decisions. It's not about, hey, don't turn the ball over. 'Well, thanks, man. Great advice.' How does that happen? Taking care of the football is a byproduct of knowing what you're looking at, making good decisions and being a smart football player. And so you focus on that part of it. And then if you take care of all those things, then you're going to take care of the football."

Slants And Screens

Taylor also put All-Pro edge Trey Hendrickson (hip) in the same questionable category after he could go only 23 plays against the Jets last Sunday and not playing 10 days before against Pittsburgh …

The Bengals are averaging 126 rush yards per game since Week 6, 12th in the NFL. Running backs Chase Brown (7.0) and Samaje Perine (6.4) are third and fourth, respectively, in yards per carry in that stretch after a tough opening five weeks on the ground.

"Something we talked a lot about is as ugly as it felt and looked like at times, we never shied away from knowing we need that element of our offense," Pitcher said. "The offensive line has had its two best weeks back to back. We talked to them about it today. If you do it three times in a row, then it's a pattern. Then it's an identity. Right now, it's a trend in the right direction. We have to follow through." …

The Taylor brothers face each other for the third time since Zac took over the Bengals with Press the pass game coordinator for the Bears. The previous two games went overtime with a tie in Philly and Browning's win in Jacksonville.

"It's probably a bigger deal for my parents. For my mom and dad, all the work they've invested in us, to see their sons on the sidelines is pretty cool," Zac said Wednesday. "We want to beat each other. Not a lot of communication during the week." …