Joe Flacco Even-Keeled Following Bengals Debut Loss As Chemistry Building Continues

CINCINNATI — Joe Flacco isn't happy with the Bengals 27-18 loss to the Packers on Sunday, but there were some things to build on in a disciplined showing.

Flacco finished the game 29-45 for 219 passing yards and two touchdowns. It stacked up to a solid 68.5 ESPN QBR, but Cincinnati couldn't get the ingredients cooking in the first half.

"In the moment, you're just trying to keep it simple, take it one play at a time," Flacco said about his debut. "I kind of kept telling myself that on the sideline today, "Don't get too high in this environment. Just kind of, no matter what the scoreboard says and what's going on, just remember to keep, continue to play each play. And look, in this league if you're able to do that consistently, then you're going to put yourself in it down the stretch."

Flacco understood the assignment of getting the ball to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins today; he also got hurt by multiple drops from Andrei Iosivas that could've pushed him over 250 yards.

The pressure was still there behind one of the league's worst offensive lines, but Flacco got the ball out fast in the second half. He hit Chase on a 21-yard score for the star's best touchdown of the season so far.

"Just the way they plucked the ball out of the air, like I threw a quick out route to Ja'Marr, and I didn't get the ball great, and it was like an awful spiral, and he still just caught it like with both hands," Flacco said postgame. "And then the one, the one that I can think about to Tee, we hit him on an inside slant route for a third down on, I think, on that first drive of the second half. And a lot of guys would go down and kind of catch it with their body and slide, and he just plucked it right out of the air with both hands. It's pretty impressive to see those guys go."

Cincinnati needs to go find a winning formula soon, or watching those receivers make some big plays each week will be one of the only reasons to keep watching the 2-4 Bengals.

They have to find answers against Pittsburgh at home on Thursday night in their second divisio game of the season.

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