The Jets won't say who their quarterback is Sunday (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Local 12) at Paycor Stadium. The Bengals know their quarterback is making only his third start with them, but for Joe Flacco it's his most normal prep since he's been in Cincinnati.
His first two starts came within nine days. It didn't prevent him from committing NFL history. (Via OptaSports, he's the first to throw for at least 550 yards, five touchdowns with no picks while completing 65% of his passes through his first two games with a team.)
Now Flacco gets a full week of preparation, which began in earnest Wednesday.
"It was nice to be able to breathe this weekend," said Flacco after the workout of the time off back in New Jersey with his family of five children.
"We were just out on the practice field, and it feels like I've barely been there. It's good to get back into a normal rhythm of a Monday, Tuesday, and now actually going out there on a Wednesday and feeling prepared."
Jets coach Aaron Glenn isn't saying if it is Justin Fields or old Flacco backup Tyrod Taylor. The injury report said a lot. Taylor (knee), who relieved Fields in last Sunday's 13-6 loss to the Panthers, went limited Wednesday and reports said Glenn indicated it was related to an injury from the summer.
Taylor, who was in the Ravens quarterback room with Flacco for four seasons, faced him in the 2016 opener in Baltimore and quarterbacked the Bills' 13-7 loss in which Flacco outpitched Taylor, 258-111 yards.
It's A Jungle Out There
The Jets come into The Jungle winless, but the Bengals are saying all the right, wary things.
"Like a wounded animal," said safety Jordan Battle. "That one time he reacts and comes back. We understand they're going to give us their best. We have to make sure it's a dominant win, not a close one."
That's how the Bengals have lived, winning their three games by a combined seven points and going ahead in the last two wins with 18 and seven seconds left, respectively.
Head coach Zac Taylor is still seeking a game where all three phases click and they can tuck some teams in.
"All three of our wins have been find-a-way to win games. They haven't been we race out and we hold the 14-point lead, which I'd love to do at some point," Taylor said Wednesday before practice. "But there's also an element it's good that we've had to find ways to win, and we've just got to continue to build off of that. That's a good quality to have, that you've seen yourself do that at the end of the game.
"Now we've got to focus on building a lead early, playing really solid, and putting teams to bed and winning by a larger margin."
Burrow Checks In
Yes, Joe Burrow has been around as he rehabs his turf toe. And not just for last Thursday night's win that he spent on the bench. Flacco, 0-2 against Burrow in his career, likes it on this side.
"He's sat in a couple of little meetings, or it's been right in our little locker room area, kind of hanging out," Flacco said. "There's been times where it's been like, 'Hey, just so you know, here's how maybe I would do that, just in case you're in that situation. These guys are familiar with this type of communication.'
"And then other than that, it's just been kind of shooting the breeze and just kind of catching up a little bit and getting to know each other a little bit."
The day Flacco made his first NFL start in 2008 against the Bengals, 11-year-old Joey Burrow was getting ready to lead coach Sam Smathers' Athens Bulldogs youth footballers against some arch-rival like Nelsonville.
"You always look at him as a fellow competitor and now you look at him as a teammate," Flacco said. "Just still trying to get to know each other."
In DJ We Trust
The most alluring name on both injury reports belongs to dangerous Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (knee), who still has four touchdowns despite not practicing at all last week and missing the Panthers' loss on Sunday.
Wilson didn't go Wednesday, either, but the Bengals have the NFL's 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year in their sights.
"His catch radius is insane. We have to understand that," said safety Jordan Battle. "We'll have a plan for him whether he's out there or not. We've got the best corner in the league, so we'll be just fine."
No doubt he was referring to the torrid DJ Turner II. And no doubt Michigan's Turner dueled Ohio State's Wilson at some point.
In the last two games, Turner has tied Johnathan Joseph's club single-season record with five passes defensed and followed that up with Thursday night's highlight video pick of D.K. Metcalf.
Cornerback Josh Newton is right there.
"I was just telling him, 'Bro, you know you're one of the best, right?" Newton said. "He took it like just, 'I know.' That's how you're supposed to take it."
Turner got his hands on two more balls against the Steelers, upping his NFL lead to 13 passes defensed. Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon and Browns cornerback Tyson Campbell are next with ten each.
Slants and Screens
Second-year edge rusher Cedric Johnson, cleared to practice after missing more than two months with a calf injury, is still on injured reserve but had a full practice Wednesday. Edge Cam Sample, who hurt his knee last Thursday, didn't work, and neither did cornerback Marco Wilson (hamstring).
Two guys who missed last Thursday night, edge Trey Hendrickson (hip) and tight end Tanner Hudson (concussion) looked to be on track when they went limited …
Flacco has been so taken with the hands of receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and he was asked not to compare, but if they reminded him of anybody.
"Anquan Boldin," Flacco said. "Hands-wise, when he had people on him, you could throw the ball around him and knew that he was going to go fight for the football and be able to catch it with his hands."
Boldin played three of his 14 seasons with Flacco in Baltimore, and in his best season with the Ravens had 65 catches for 921 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games. In seven games, Chase has a league-leading 58 catches for 629 yards and five touchdowns …
View the best photos from Bengals-Jets matchups of years past.

WR Ja'Marr Chase (Left) and WR Tee Higgins (Right) celebrate after a touchdown on September 25th, 2022, during the Bengals week 3 game vs. the New York Jets

New York Jets' Sauce Gardner (1) defends Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase (1) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J.

Cincinnati Bengals' Isaac Curtis (85) turns away from New York Jets defenders Bobby Johnson (40) and Ken Schroy (48) on his way to a touchdown in the first quarter of AFC playoff action on Sunday, Jan. 9, 1983 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The touchdown came on a pass form Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson.

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Andre Caldwell (87) is upended by New York Jets safety Jim Leonhard (36) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Auden Tate, left, catches a pass against New York Jets free safety Marcus Maye (20) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Laveranues Coles (11) scores a touchdown against the New York Jets in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, in Cincinnati.

QB Joe Namath looks to throw against the Bengals.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (85) talks to New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) during the second quarter of an NFL football game at New Meadowlands Stadium, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2010, in East Rutherford, N.J.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson, (14) releases the ball as New York Jets' Kenny Neil (77) reaches him in Sunday playoff action in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jan. 10, 1983.

DE Trey Hendrickson sacks QB Joe Flacco, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022.

New York Jets running back Le'Veon Bell (26) runs the ball against Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt (57) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, in Cincinnati.

New York Jets' Jarrad Davis, left, tries to tackle Cincinnati Bengals' Samaje Perine during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, in East Rutherford, N.J.

New York Jets Freeman McNeil (24) looks for a way around Cincinnati Bengal defenders as Bengals Ross Browner moves in from behind for the tackle during a game in 1983.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Kenny Watson (33) is tackled by New York Jets defenders Kerry Rhodes, bottom, Victor Hobson, and Hank Poteat, right, in the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, in Cincinnati. Watson rushed for three touchdowns and 130 yards in the Bengals 38-31 win.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mike Martin ( leaps for some yardage with New York Jets linebacker Kevin McArthur behind him at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on August 16, 1986.

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Artrell Hawkins (27) breaks up a pass intended for New York Jets tight end Anthony Becht (88) on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2001, at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

New York Jets wide receiver Brad Smith, center, is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph, left, and cornerback Leon Hall at an NFL football game at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010.

DE Trey Hendrickson celebrates a play against the Jets, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022.

Cincinnati Bengals' Trey Hendrickson, second from right, tackles New York Jets quarterback Mike White during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, in East Rutherford, N.J.

New York Jets' quarterback Joe Namath (12) lets go of the ball in fourth period action, Nov. 18, 1973, against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Quarterback Joe Burrow passes the football during the second quarter against the New York Jets.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Marvin Jones (82) avoids a tackle by New York Jets free safety Jaiquawn Jarrett on his way to a six-yard touchdown reception in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, in Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson (14) is stopped during the second quarter by the New York Jets' Abdul Salaam (74) and Marty Lyons (93) in New York on Sept. 13, 1981.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer (9) looks for a receiver during an NFL football game at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) looks to move past New York Jets offensive tackle George Fant (76) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Cincinnati Bengals won 27-12.












