Joe Flacco and Ja’Marr Chase refuse to blame Bengals’ defense after another late collapse
CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Flacco has led the Bengals to a combined 80 points in their past two games — both of them losses, thanks to Cincinnati’s NFL-worst defense.
After the Bengals couldn’t hold a late lead for the second straight week and lost 47-42 on Sunday to the Chicago Bears, Flacco was asked how Cincinnati can keep its offensive players from turning on their teammates on the other side of the ball.
“It’s one team,” Flacco said. “You need to focus on yourself and do your job. I get it, it can be emotional. I go to those guys and have good conversations about going to work and taking pride in what you do. If you do that, you don’t have time to get mad at people you shouldn’t get mad at. You can’t be worried about anyone else.”
Flacco was acquired by the Bengals (3-6) in a trade with the Cleveland Browns with the hope that he could keep the team afloat until franchise quarterback Joe Burrow recovers from toe surgery. And the 40-year-old has done his part.
Flacco, who had just one full practice this week because of a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, passed for a career-high 470 yards and four touchdowns on Sunday, including two TD throws in the fourth quarter that put Cincinnati ahead 42-41 with 54 seconds left.
But Caleb Williams threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Colston Loveland with 25 seconds left — a score aided by more missed tackles by the Bengals’ secondary.
Cincinnati allowed the Bears to gain 576 yards, including 283 on the ground.
“It’s sick to lose like that,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “Game’s right there and then you don’t find a way to get it done. It’s a tough one to stomach.”
Tee Higgins had seven catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns, and Ja’Marr Chase added six receptions for 111 yards. The star receivers also refused to blame their teammates.
“I’m just trying to stay positive,” Chase said. “I’m going to stay in my lane. I don’t want no defensive player coming to me about what I’m doing.”
Flacco’s previous single-game high in passing yards was 389 on Sept. 25, 2011, for Baltimore against the St. Louis Rams. His total on Sunday was the most by a Bengals quarterback in a loss.
“What Joe Flacco did for us this week, you’ll never forget,” Taylor said. “He could barely lift his arm this week.”
Last week against the previously winless Jets, the Bengals led 31-16 late in third quarter, only to lose 39-38. Last season, the Bengals lost four games when scoring 30 or more points.
The Bears didn’t have leading rusher D’Andre Swift because of a groin injury, but it hardly mattered. Rookie Kyle Monangai ran for a career-best 176 yards on 26 carries for a 6.8-yard average. Brittain Brown had a 22-yard TD run.
“If you can’t stop the run in this league, you’re not going to win,” linebacker Barrett Carter said. “We’re going to fix it internally. We have to rely on each other and trust each other. There’s no pointing fingers.”
The Bengals’ hopes of staying in the AFC playoff race until Burrow returns are slipping away.
“Just don’t turn on each other,” running back Chase Brown said. “We put the ball in the end zone and go up a point at the end. Finish the game. Let’s end the game. We’ve taken steps forward offensively. Flacco fought like a warrior the way his shoulder was.”
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