Joe Flacco must have got under Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin's skin at some point.

As Flacco prepares to lead the 2-4 Bengals into Thursday night's bigger-than-big one against the 4-1 Steelers (enough said) at Paycor Stadium (8:15-Prime Video), the usually close-to-the-vest Tomlin was clearly unbuttoned at the Browns for trading Flacco just in time for prep in a short week.

"Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us because it doesn't make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening-day starter to a division opponent that's hurting in that area, but that's just my personal feelings," Tomlin said Monday of the Cleveland GM as he praised Flacco's arm strength and anticipation.

"Certainly, we've got a full week's work ahead of us in terms of minimizing a veteran, savvy, talented thrower like him, coupled with the (receivers) that they have, and so that certainly has our attention."

Tomlin walked off the podium in disgust when the newser concluded with a question about the challenges a new quarterback faces with two games in 10 days.

"Doesn't appear to be hard for Joe Flacco," he barked.

Of course, it could be Tomlin just mind-gaming it. Talk about savvy and veteran. After all, in his 19 seasons in Pittsburgh, he's 10-4 against the Bengals in national windows and 13-12 against Flacco overall, including playoffs.

But against Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, Tomlin is 2-3 in national windows, and the last time Flacco met the Steelers, Flacco came off the bench in Indy to throw two touchdowns in a 27-24 Colts win.

Flacco, or Joe Calm, shrugged Tuesday. When you're about to start your 197^th game, you can tell when a coach is trying to stir his team.

"I heard he was talking about it a little bit now that I'm on the Bengals," Flacco said before practice. "I didn't see it. I didn't see how upset he was, but I think he's probably just playing a game a little bit. Doing whatever he has to do."

Flacco can play the game his way, too. Which is to say, not play.

"I have so many great memories of playing these guys and so much respect for them as a team, even though they've changed over the years," Flacco said. "There's still a lot of those same guys, familiar faces. Just a lot of respect for what they've been able to do, and always battling against those guys. You know you're in for a good one."

Tomlin also knows there isn't much more he can throw at Flacco that he hasn't seen. Their careers are almost just as long, and Tomlin has given the Steelers a scheme and style.

"They have the same ideas they always have, and that's why they're successful," said Flacco, who has a tidy ratio of 27 touchdowns to just 12 picks in 22 regular-season games against Tomlin's defenses.

His 23^rd appearance against them on Thursday night makes the Steelers his most common foe, eclipsing the 22 times he's faced the Bengals. He's had better success against Tomlin than Cincy: His career passer rating against the Bengals is 71.5 compared to 85.4 against the Steelers.

A-Rod In Third Paycor Visit

Flacco laughed politely when some wiseacre asked Tuesday how it feels to be the youngest quarterback in this game given that the Steelers' Aaron Rodgers is 41 and Flacco is 40.

"It's one thing you guys can't talk about this week in terms of me being older, at least, but it's pretty neat," Flacco said. "Aaron's been in the league a few years longer than me, but we both started playing in 2008, so doing it for a long time. It's pretty cool."

Flacco thought two 40-year-olds must have met before Thursday. He's right. The Bucs' Tom Brady, 43, met the Saints' Drew Brees, 41, and Brees won both in 2020. Flacco is 0-3 against Rodgers, the last meeting coming in 2019 against the Packers when Flacco was in Denver. The matchup spans 16 years since their first meeting, a 2009 Ravens-Packers game when Flacco threw a touchdown pass to Bengals draft pick Kelley Washington.

"It's one of those things. I've been in a locker room my whole life, so, you know, age isn't something that I think about," Flacco said. "I just view myself as one of those 20-something-year-olds in the locker room.

"But I think one day, when you look back on it, it's just one of those things, that'll be pretty cool to be able to have a matchup like this."

It's Rodgers' third trip into Paycor. He lost the first one in 2013 when Michael Johnson stoned him on a fourth-and-two late, and Terence Newman took the fumble 58 yards to the house with 3:47 left to turn a 30-27 deficit into a 34-30 win.

Then eight years later, Rodgers beat Joe Burrow in an exhausting overtime battle. That may be only four years ago, but three regulars are left from the defense Rodgers faced that day, and none in the secondary.

Major Defensive Shift

One of those regulars, linebacker Logan Wilson, won't play as much as he did then. On Sunday in Green Bay, the coaches gave the green dot helmet to rookie linebacker Barrett Carter, and he played all 61 snaps setting the defense like Wilson has since 2021.

After 12 snaps, his fewest since his rookie year, Wilson said he thought he was playing well enough.

"Obviously, Zac (Taylor) felt otherwise," Wilson said Tuesday.

In Carter, they believe they have an ascending violent, physical player who diagnoses quickly. Defensive coordinator Al Golden said it was more about Carter than Wilson.

"It was a collective thought of let's give Barrett a try. We'll see where we're at with him and see if it brings a different energy. But that's really it," Golden said before practice. "It has nothing to do with Logan. It was just about giving Barrett an opportunity, and we'll see how it unfolds moving forward.

"It was just giving Barrett an opportunity and obviously Logan's still going to play and he's still part of the plan. So it wasn't really a specific thing. It was just an opportunity to take a look at Barrett and see how that goes."

As usual, Wilson, a captain and the club's longest-tenured defensive player, was all class.

"I found out about this (a week ago Monday), and I put my arm around (Carter)," Wilson said. "And I told him, 'There's going to be no hard feelings between us. Just know that I'm not going to change who I am.

"I told myself I was not got going to change who I am because of a time of adversity in my life. Whenever my career is done, (I'll) look back at this time of adversity and be able to tell my kids how to get through."

Michigan Men

At least two of his teammates used the word "elite," with Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II after his five passes defensed on Sunday gave him the NFL lead with 11. He's on pace for 31 this season, which would shatter the Bengals record of 24 set by cornerback Leon Hall in 2008 and then again 2009.

Both are men from Michigan. Hall a first-rounder in 2007, and Turner a second-rounder in 2023.

"He has been masterful over the last month. Quiet, head down, practicing with energy. We're not surprised by his growth as a player," Golden said. "He has kept it small. His eyes are really good. His eyes are good in the walkthrough. His eyes are good in practice. He's finishing at the top of routes really well. His technique off the line is good. He's not guessing, he's trusting. He has makeup speed at the top."

The thing they love about Turner is he wants to cover the best guy, and he has. Last week he held the Packers' Romeo Doubs to three catches on eight targets (via Pro Football Focus). The week before the Lions targeted him only once, and their leading receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown, didn't catch it. Two weeks ago in Denver, the Broncos targeted Turner three times, and he gave up an 11-yarder. His one target while covering Broncos leading receiver Courtland Sutton went incomplete.

"He has drawn the go-to guy, and he has responded," Golden said.

Slants and Screens

In this truncated week, the Bengals had their only practice leading up to the Steelers game Tuesday night under the lights at Paycor, and it looks like rookie defensive lineman Shemar Stewart (ankle) can go for the first time since Week Two.

"Our expectation is he will be ready to go, and he will see a lot of action. He looked good out there today (in walkthrough)," Golden said. "I know we were walking through, but at least he recalls how to line up and all those things because he's been in the meetings from that standpoint. We just have to get him to the point where he can play fast and enjoy it. Don't get stressed out about it. Enjoy the moment and work hard for the next 36 hours and then cut it loose. That's going to be really important. He's a gifted young man."

Stewart went full in practice Tuesday for the first time in a month …

Left guard Dylan Fairchild (knee) went full …

So did right guard Lucas Patrick (calf), and right tackle Amarius Mims (ankle) went full on his 23^rd birthday …

Trey Hendrickson (hip) didn't go and neither did wide receiver returner Charlie Jones (ribs) …