{"id":10172,"date":"2025-11-15T03:29:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-15T03:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/joe-flacco-got-brutally-honest-about-how-bengals-revived-his-nfl-career-3\/"},"modified":"2025-11-15T03:29:27","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T03:29:27","slug":"joe-flacco-got-brutally-honest-about-how-bengals-revived-his-nfl-career-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/?p=10172","title":{"rendered":"Joe Flacco got brutally honest about how Bengals revived his NFL career"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Joe<\/p>\n

Who would’ve thought that after losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, Joe Flacco would’ve not only defected from the Cleveland Browns about a month later, but started meaningful games for the Bengals thereafter.<\/p>\n

Congratulations if that was on your preseason bingo card. Just the fact that Cincinnati swung a trade for Flacco in the first place was shocking enough. Never mind him playing so well.<\/p>\n

While Who Dey Nation awaits\u00a0Joe Burrow’s impending return, Flacco is more than holding the fort down for No. 9. Prior to his arrival in the Queen City, though, the 40-year-old vet felt his career was on its last legs. He reflected on that in speaking recently with the media.<\/p>\n

Getting benched in Cleveland for an undersized rookie in Dillon Gabriel couldn’t have been easy for Joe Flacco. Ever since two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson took his job in Baltimore several years ago, Flacco has gone the journeyman’s route through a medley of different teams.<\/p>\n

Since Flacco’s 11-season run with the Ravens, he’s played for six other NFL franchises, including multiple stints in Cleveland and New York for the Jets. Leading into the 2023 season, he wasn’t even on an NFL roster. Flacco came off the couch to lead the Browns to the playoffs that year.<\/p>\n

So anyone can understand what an emotional roller coaster Flacco has ridden for years now. He got very honest about that in his latest presser, via\u00a0Mike Petraglia of CLSNCincy.com:<\/p>\n

“I think you’re always getting bombarded with these negative thoughts. […] How do you kind of get out of that mode and get into the positive? Never playing football again is one of those thoughts. It definitely came across my mind several different times in my career, whether it was like, fear of, ‘Man, am I ever gonna play again? Or myself saying, ‘What the hell am I doing? Am I even having fun?’ Those thoughts have all come into my mind, and I’ve dealt with them all at some point…So I think I know enough now to just kind of go play and when those things do come in your head, don’t let them affect you in a negative way. […] When you’re not playing, it’s harder to do, yes, but at the same time, it’s like you’re still part of a team, and you still have a task, and you find comfort in whatever that task is.”<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Flacco also indicated that he’s trying not to put a cap on how long he’s going to keep playing, but acknowledged that his stint in Cincinnati gave him a new sense of hope. That is, he can still get it done at a high level in the NFL, even at his advanced (football) age.<\/p>\n

In his four games for the Bengals, Flacco may have a 1-3 starting record, but this is a classic case of wins not being a QB stat. He’s absolutely slinging it, to the tune of 11 TDs against only two interceptions and a 102.6 passer rating.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the Bengals’ dreadful defense has let Flacco and the offense down. They’ve lost 39-38 to the Jets, and 47-42 to the Bears to slide to 3-6.<\/p>\n

Both those games were easily within reach thanks in large part to Flacco and a revived rushing attack sparked by his arrival. The rival Steelers are the one adversary Flacco did win against, and they’re on deck for Sunday’s massive Week 11 matchup.<\/p>\n

I can’t shake the thought that Flacco will wind up in Pittsburgh next season. He can clearly still play. Aaron Rodgers is liable to retire. Why not complete the cycle and play for every single AFC North team!?<\/p>\n

Barring some\u00a0absurd Joe Burrow trade, \u2014 the aforementioned Jets do have\u00a0five<\/em>\u00a0first-round picks in the next two drafts to offer up \u2014 Flacco won’t be in a Bengals uniform next season. He’ll want to play.<\/p>\n

Flacco’s remarks reflect the resilience and competitive mentality it takes to survive in the NFL for so long. Don’t think he got his due in that regard as a Raven, although he wasn’t so publicly introspective back then, either.<\/p>\n

It’s been a privilege to watch Flacco play some of the best ball of his career in Cincinnati. Here’s to keeping it going, and all the best to Joe Cool if he can find a QB1 gig elsewhere once Burrow’s back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to be better, plain and simple. There\u2019s no excuse for where we are right now. We need to hold ourselves accountable and make the necessary changes, because this isn\u2019t acceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/em> \u2014 Alex Tuch<\/strong>, Buffalo Sabres Forward<\/p>\n

Buffalo Sabres fans, brace yourselves: change is coming<\/strong>. After yet another brutal defeat \u2014 a 5-2 loss to Utah followed by a 6-2 drubbing by the Colorado Avalanche \u2014 it’s clear that this team is nowhere near the contender they were supposed to be this season. And for fans who\u2019ve waited 14 years for a playoff spot, the latest string of losses is a hard pill to swallow. With Buffalo\u2019s record now at a dismal <\/p>\n

Sabres in Crisis Mode: A Season on the Brink<\/strong><\/p>\n

The loss to the Avalanche capped off a disastrous five-game losing streak, with <\/p>\n

The truth is, the Sabres have been in this situation for far too long<\/strong>. The fans are fed up, and even the players are starting to admit what\u2019s been painfully obvious: <\/p>\n

The End of the Line for Adams and Ruff?<\/strong><\/p>\n

At this point, there is no denying that accountability must fall on both <\/p>\n

As Tuch<\/strong> stated, “There\u2019s no excuse for where we are right now.”<\/em> The Sabres have been left behind in a rapidly advancing NHL, and with another playoff-less season on the horizon, it\u2019s time for ownership to act.<\/p>\n

The Roster Shake-Up: Who\u2019s Safe and Who\u2019s Not?<\/strong><\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just the front office and coaching staff that needs to change. With this current Sabres team showing no signs of getting it together, nearly <\/p>\n

The Sabres need to shed their past<\/strong> \u2014 and that means moving out players who aren’t contributing to the rebuild. It\u2019s a painful reality, but every player needs to be held accountable<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/strong> for this team’s continued failure. It\u2019s no longer about potential or promises \u2014 it\u2019s about delivering results<\/strong>, and if you\u2019re not part of the solution, you\u2019ll be part of the problem.<\/p>\n

Buffalo\u2019s Road to Redemption: How to Fix the Sabres?<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, what now for Buffalo? The road to redemption starts with tough decisions. Kevyn Adams<\/strong> will need to make bold moves to reshape the roster, bringing in fresh talent to bolster the lineup. The Sabres\u2019 defense needs a complete overhaul, and the goaltending situation is looking more desperate by the day. The team can no longer afford to let mediocrity slip by \u2014 it\u2019s time to build a <\/p>\n

This won\u2019t be an easy fix, but with the right moves, Buffalo could finally<\/em> start to dig itself out of this hole. The fans deserve a competitive team, and the Sabres owe it to themselves to deliver.<\/p>\n

Can the Sabres Turn It Around?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no sugar-coating it \u2014 the Sabres\u2019 current path is not sustainable. Another year of misery for Buffalo fans will simply not do. As the Sabres face the harsh reality of their worst season in recent memory, one thing is clear: the status quo cannot continue<\/strong>. The front office and coaching staff need to make bold, immediate changes. The future of the Buffalo Sabres depends on it.<\/p>\n

The time for change is now \u2014 and for the first time in years, it feels like the Sabres have no choice but to start fresh.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Who would’ve thought that after losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, Joe Flacco would’ve not only defected from the Cleveland Browns about a month later, but started meaningful games for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10171,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t