Flacco savors Bengals' victory after uncertainty

CINCINNATI -- Ten days ago, Joe Flacco didn't cognize whether he'd get to acquisition again what helium felt Thursday night.

Just past week, Flacco was a backmost who had been benched successful his 18th NFL season. On Thursday night, helium was celebrating different comeback triumph successful the AFC North.

Nine days aft his commercialized to the Cincinnati Bengals, helium led his caller nine to a 33-31 victory implicit the Pittsburgh Steelers astatine Paycor Stadium. Needing points connected the last thrust to win, Flacco propelled the discourtesy down the field, with kicker Evan McPherson's 36-yard tract extremity with 7 seconds near sealing the victory.

After the game, Flacco acknowledged the uncertainty helium had felt astir getting backmost to the presumption helium was successful Thursday night.

"It felt similar I mightiness not, to beryllium honorable with you," Flacco said. "It's beauteous special."

In the 2nd crippled pursuing his commercialized from the Cleveland Browns, the 40-year-old helped Cincinnati drawback a four-game losing streak. He was 31-of-47 passing for 342 yards, 3 touchdowns and nary interceptions. It was the archetypal triumph for the Bengals (3-4) since starting backmost Joe Burrow suffered a turf toed wounded successful Week 2.

With a walking footwear connected his near foot, Burrow watched from the sideline arsenic Flacco made plays successful the closing minutes to forestall Cincinnati from a devastating collapse. After starring for the bulk of the contest, the Bengals trailed by a constituent aft Steelers choky extremity Pat Freiermuth caught a 68-yard touchdown walk from Aaron Rodgers with 2:21 near successful the game.

But successful his 23rd regular-season crippled against the Steelers (4-2), Flacco delivered. With Cincinnati connected the cusp of tract extremity range, helium deed wide receiver Tee Higgins for a 28-yard completion down the near sideline that made McPherson's footwear a comparatively comfy one.

McPherson is among those who person enjoyed having the seasoned backmost connected their team.

"I emotion his cognition and what helium brings to the team," said McPherson, who present has 8 vocation game-tying oregon go-ahead kicks successful the last 2 minutes of a regular-season game. "He's done a truly bully occupation connecting with guys connected a truly abbreviated notice."

Against the Steelers, Flacco did astir of his connecting with Higgins and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Chase acceptable a franchise grounds with 16 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown. It was his ninth crippled with much than 150 receiving yards, passing Jerry Rice for the second-most successful the archetypal 5 seasons of an NFL career.

Chase again praised the franchise's determination to get Flacco to beryllium the team's starting quarterback.

"It's honestly bully having him present for us," Chase said. "Organization made a large leap connected him. We believed successful him. We got him. He...