In a memorable shootout worthy of the Old West, Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers proved that age is nothing but a number. In the matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, both veterans gave a masterclass to the Josh Allens, Jordan Loves, and Dak Prescotts of the world on how to play with heart – and all the experience that comes with age.
The stats tell the story of a shootout between two quarterbacks well past 40 (Flacco is 40, Rodgers is 41) but still with plenty of bullets left in the chamber. The victory went to Cincinnati in the final seconds, 33-31, but what really caught NFL fans’ attention were the performances of both QBs – players many had written off, yet who still have their teams competing for playoff spots.
Rodgers, the multiple-time NFL MVP who, unsurprisingly, has the Steelers leading their division at 4-2, completed 23 of 34 passes for 249 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 rare interceptions. Flacco, meanwhile, in just his second game as the Bengals’ starter, went 31-for-47 for 342 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Perhaps the biggest highlight was how Flacco has transformed the Bengals’ offense in just a short time – especially considering that only a couple of weeks ago he was the starting QB for the Cleveland Browns. In Cincinnati, Flacco now has top-tier weapons like Chase Brown, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, all of whom delivered huge performances. Brown rushed 11 times for 108 yards, Higgins caught six passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, and Chase stole the show with 16 receptions for 161 yards and a touchdown.
Flacco instantly wins over Bengals fans
What stood out most wasn’t just Flacco’s numbers, but the fact that he achieved them after only two games with the team – proof of his experience and of head coach Zac Taylor’s smart game plan built around his new starting QB. Rodgers, on the other hand, threw two uncharacteristic interceptions that cost Pittsburgh valuable points and may have been a key factor in their loss. Both defenses struggled to slow down the offensive fireworks.
With the win, Cincinnati improves to 3-4 and looks poised to pick up more victories, putting themselves in a good position by the time Joe Burrow is expected to return in December. They now sit just a game and a half behind the Steelers, who remain atop the division at 4-2 but face a brutal schedule in the coming weeks.
In the end, in one of the best games of the season, Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers, both Super Bowl winners and Super Bowl MVPs, once again showed that age is just a number. Absolute cinema.
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