Bengals No. 2 quarterback Joe Flacco, who turns 41 in two weeks, says he wants to continue playing next season in a 19^th year in the NFL, and he's open to a return as Joe Burrow’s backup.

"I'm not going to make that decision as soon as the season ends," Flacco said after Thursday's practice. "Depending on what's out there, there's a scenario where I'd be open to it."

Flacco, preparing for the Browns team he started for Opening Day against the Bengals, racked up the numbers of an Opening Day starter during his stint here after the Oct. 7 trade from Cleveland.

In the span of his six Bengals starts, he threw the NFL's third most touchdown passes, behind Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye and tied with Dak Prescott, and threw for the fifth most yards. His career-high 470 yards against the Bears at Paycor Stadium on Nov. 2 remains the biggest game in the league this season.

It doesn't sound like it's about the numbers. Flacco is 14^th on the all-time passing yards list, just 1,824 shy of 50,000 yards, and he's 21^st on the all-time touchdown passes list, one back of Joe Montana's 273. But he reiterated Thursday what he has said since he arrived. He just wants to play.

"Go into my 19^th year. It's what I do man," Flacco said. "I'm a football player. Keep it going."

Special Specialists

Despite a spate of injuries to key players, the Bengals special teams have risen to No. 3 in the Pro Football Focus rankings with their biggest group of players logging double-digit tackles in the kicking game during coordinator Darrin Simmons’ 23 seasons in Cincinnati.

You can thank the new kickoff rule for that, where the Bengals overcame some choppy play early on and have been better lately. They've been solid covering punts, where punter Ryan Rehkow is in the top 10 dropping kicks inside the 20, and they covered three inside the 10 the last two weeks.

Throw in Evan McPherson’s skein of 19 straight field goals with a K ball, and the hard-to-please Simmons says, "It's about being consistent. Our players have really bought in. It's a good core group."

NFL veteran linebackers Oren Burks and Joe Gilles-Harris gave them a huge lift when one of their best teamers, linebacker Shaka Heyward, was out for five weeks.

Gilles-Harris spent the first seven weeks on the practice squad, got the call when Heyward went down and is tied for the team lead with safety Tycen Anderson in teams tackles with 16 on a massive two per game pace.

Anderson has racked up the numbers even though he changed positions for the good of the club. A natural gunner who had ten tackles last season spent among the league-leaders, Anderson moved to become the punt personal protector because Simmons needed a quarterback to get guys lined up.

"That's my career-high. I'm proud I could keep up the production even though I moved positions," Anderson said. "Just knowing the game and being valuable at other spots than the one I'm dominant at."

Slants and Screens

All eyes are on Myles Garrett as the Browns defensive end stands one sack away from the single-season record when he plays the Bengals Sunday (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) at Paycor Stadium.

And that includes Bengals rookie edger Shemar Stewart, who came out of Texas A&M in the first round this year eight years after Garrett came out of A&M as the first overall pick.

Stewart says Garrett came up to him after the Bengals' 17-16 win in the opener in Cleveland on Sept.7 and told him to keep it going.

"I love my quarterback. I love my guys," Stewart said. "But I'd like to see him get the record. What a career achievement, and it'd be almost impossible to beat. I'm always going to pull for the A&M guy."

He is, of course, also pulling for a Bengals win …

Not as many are watching the Bengals' Rehkow trying to lead the league in yards per punt, which he did basically all year until Arizona's Blake Gillikin drilled 54.3 yards per punt last Sunday in the 65 degrees of Paycor to take a slight lead at 51.7 to 51.1. Also sneaking past Rehkow into second is Daniel Whelan of the Packers at 51.3.

Rehkow doesn't get a break with Sunday's sked. He's punting in January weather while Arizona is in L.A., and the Packers play the Vikings indoors …

Edge Joseph Ossai (ankle), returner Charlie Jones (ankle) and tight end Cam Grandy (chest) have yet to practice this week …

Running back Chase Brown (illness) missed Thursday after not going Wednesday …