Bengals' Joe Flacco Can Become 2nd QB to Beat Same Opponent Twice While Starting for Different Teams

CINCINNATI – Joe Flacco is expected to be the 32nd starting quarterback (not counting 1987 replacement players) in the history of the Cincinnati Bengals when they travel to Green Bay on Sunday.

For 21 of the previous 31, their first Bengals start also marked their NFL starting debuts.

That won’t be the case for Flacco, who comes to Cincinnati with 195 career starts under his belt.

Only eight of the previous 31 have won their first start for the team.

Only three did so on the road – AJ McCarron in 2015 at San Francisco; Andy Dalton in 2011 at Cleveland; and Akili Smith in 1999 at Cleveland.

If Flacco can become the fourth, he will join an even shorter list -- quarterbacks who have started and beat a team twice in the same season while playing for different teams.

Flacco started for the Browns in their 13-10 win against the Packers in Week 3.

No quarterback in Super Bowl era has ever started and won against the same opponent while playing for different teams in the same season.

Since at least 1950, there has been only instance of it happening.

Jake Kemp started for the Chargers in Week 2, 1962, and beat the New York Titans 40-14.

Chargers coach Sid Gillman put Kemp on waivers in an attempt to hide him, per Ed Gruver’s book “The American Football League: A Year-by-Year History, 1960–1969.”

Buffalo Bills coach Lou Saban saw Kemp on the available list and paid the $100 waiver free. Kemp took over the starting job for the Bills in Week 12, and in the season finale he again faced the Titans and led Buffalo to a 20-3 win.

Kemp remained the Buffalo starting quarterback through the end of his career in 1969.

Back to the Bengals, here is the list of 13 quarterbacks who started for the team after already having starting experience in the league:

Jon Kitna (33 starts with Seahawks), 2001: 18 of 27 for 204 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 101.5 rating; Beat the Patriots 23-17

Virgil Carter (7 with Bears),1969: 20-28, 218, 1, 1, 91.1; Lost to the Browns 30-27

Ryan Fitzpatrick (3 with Rams), 2008: 21-35, 156, 1, 3, 44.5; Lost to the Browns 20-12

Neil O’Donnell (61 with Steelers; 20 with Jets), 1998: 24-32, 200, 1, 1, 88.0; Lost to Titans 23-14

John Stofa (2 with Dolphins), 1968: 12 of 22, 224, 2, 0, 120.3; Beat the Broncos 24-10

John Reaves (7 with Eagles), 1975: 13 of 23, 162, 2, 0, 107.5; Beat the Oilers 23-19

Brandon Allen (3 with Broncos), 2020: 17-29, 136, 1, 1, 67.6; Lost to Giants 19-17

Scott Mitchell (7 with Dolphins; 57 with Lions; 2 with Ravens), 2000: 20-38, 236, 1, 1, 69.6; Lost to Patriots 16-13

Gus Frerotte (46 with Redskins; 6 with Lions; 7 with Broncos), 2002: 18-31, 198, 0, 1, 63.6; Lost to Chargers 34-6

Paul Justin (7 with Colts), 1998: 18-32, 202, 0, 2, 49.2; Lost to Ravens 20-13

Jay Schroeder (31 with Redskins; 57 with Raiders), 1993: 17-31, 213, 1, 0, 87.2; Lost to Oilers 28-12

Wayne Clark (4 with Chargers), 1974: 3-8, 23 yards, 0, 1, 6.2; Lost to Steelers 27-3

And here is the chronological list of the 19 non-strike quarterbacks who have made their NFL starting debuts in a Bengals uniform.

Jake Browning, 2023: 19-26, 227 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 96.2 rating; Lost to Steelers 16-10

Joe Burrow, 2020: 23-36, 193, 0, 1, 66.1; Lost to Chargers 16-13

Ryan Finley, 2019: 16-30, 167, 1, 1, 66.9; Lost to Ravens 49-13

Jeff Driskel, 2018: 25-37, 236, 1, 1, 82.7; Lost to Broncos 24-10

AJ McCarron, 2015: 15-21, 192, 1, 0, 115.6; Beat 49ers 24-14

Andy Dalton, 2011: 10-15, 81, 1, 0, 102.4; Beat Browns 27-17

Carson Palmer, 2004: 18-27, 248, 2, 1, 105.2; Lost to Jets 31-24

Akili Smith, 1999: 25-42, 221, 2, 0, 89.5; Beat Browns 18-17

Jeff Blake, 1994: 14-32, 247, 2, 0, 91.5; Lost to Cowboys 23-20

David Klingler, 1992: 16-34, 140, 0, 0, 58.5; Lost to Steelers 21-9

Donald Hollas, 1991: 17-31, 141, 1, 3, 37.9; Lost to Raiders 38-14

Erik Wilhelm, 1991: 12-24, 106, 0, 2, 27.4; Lost to Oilers 35-3

Boomer Esiason, 1984: 13-24, 159, 0, 2, 40.1; Beat Oilers 13-3

Turk Schonert, 1983: 20-33, 290, 0, 1, 76.6; Lost to Broncos 24-17

Jack Thompson, 1979: 11-21, 181, 0, 1, 61.8; Lost to Oilers 30-27 (OT)

Ken Anderson, 1971: 11-19, 137, 1, 0, 97.9; Lost to Dolphins 23-13

Greg Cook, 1969: 11-21, 155, 2, 1, 88.4; Beat Dolphins 27-21

Sam Wyche, 1968: 20-25, 228, 1, 0, 118.0; Lost to Oilers 27-17

Dewey Warren, 1968: 14-26, 125, 0, 1, 51.0; Lost to Chargers 29-13