Steelers Now
According to Elias Sports, Aaron Rodgers versus Joe Flacco on Thursday night will be only third time in NFL history that two 40+ quarterbacks will start against each other. Tom Brady and Drew Brees did it twice in 2020.
On Sunday, the Bengals lost to the Green Bay Packers, 27-18. It was Flacco’s first game with Cincinnati after being traded by Cleveland, and he was pretty solid. He completed 29 of 45 passes (64.4) for 219 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 90.9.
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry sending Flacco to an AFC North division rival did not sit well with Tomlin.
“To be honest, it was shocking to me,” Tomlin said Monday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us. Because it doesn’t make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening day starter to a division opponent that’s hurting in that area. But that’s just my personal feelings.”
Flacco is 11-11 in the regular season against the Steelers and 1-2 in the playoffs. Flacco beat the Steelers last year with the Indianapolis Colts when replacing an injured Anthony Richardson. Tomlin said a few weeks ago that he did not want to see the wily vet Flacco in that game.
“It certainly made sense from Cincinnati’s perspective,” Tomlin said of the Browns-Bengals trade. “He can throw the football, and he’s always been able to throw the football. Arm strength, arm accuracy, anticipatory passer, fluid movement through progressions, that’s always been his game.”
In total, Flacco has passed for 206.8 yards per game this season. He’s playing his 18th season as a pro and also previously had stops with the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts.
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers-Bengals Game Will Feature Extremely Rare Matchup
