Analysis: Joe Flacco further evolving Bengals’ prolific passing attack
NFL
Published on : 11/13/2025
By Ryan Michael
Special to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
When Joe Flacco threw for 470 yards against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 2, 2025, the 17-year veteran added his name to the NFL’s record book.
His passing yardage total bested the 447 yards by Tom Brady on Sept. 17, 2017, against the New Orleans Saints, the previous high-water mark for passing yards by a quarterback in his 40s.
Flacco’s production since joining the Bengals this season has been electric: 112 of 173 for 1,254 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions — a rate so prolific it would amount to 5,330 yards and 47 touchdown passes over a full 17-game season. For a quarterback long-known for his poise and deep-ball accuracy, Flacco’s late-career resurgence has revived memories of postseason brilliance more than a decade ago in Baltimore.
That’s nothing new in Cincinnati.
After taking Joe Burrow with the No. 1 selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bengals turned the corner quickly.
In 2021, Burrow, a former Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU, threw for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns. He led the NFL in completion percentage (70.4%), yards per passing attempt (8.9) and adjusted yards per passing attempt (8.96). Such success foreshadowed a postseason run that saw the Bengals topple all of their AFC opponents, including a 27-24 overtime upset over the Chiefs — on the road in Kansas City — to win the AFC Championship Game.
In Super Bowl LVI against Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams defense, Burrow completed 22 of 33 passes for 263 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions and a 100.9 passer rating as the Bengals fell just short, 23-20.
In 2022, Burrow threw for 4,475 yards and 35 touchdown passes, again leading the AFC in completion percentage (68.3%). After defeating Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens and Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in back-to-back playoff games, Burrow and the Bengals fell to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in an AFC Championship Game rematch 23-20.
Burrow got off to a rocky start the following season. He battled a right calf injury sustained during training camp and struggled through the first four games of the 2023 season. He eventually found his rhythm, however, and over the next six games completed 157 of 214 passes (73.4%) for 1,581 yards, 13 touchdowns, four interceptions and a 106.5 passer rating.
Just as he was hitting his stride, he injured his wrist in Week 11 against the Ravens, abruptly ending his season.
In relief of Burrow, backup quarterback Jake Browning completed 171 of 243 passes for 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a 98.4 passer rating. He averaged 8.0 yards per attempt, tied for fourth in the league, and led the NFL in completion percentage at 70.4%
In 2024, Burrow returned with a vengeance, leading the NFL in completions (460), passing yards (4,918), touchdown passes (43) and passing first downs (253), while topping the AFC in pass success-percentage (53.6%). For the second time in his career, he was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, having previously earned the honor in 2021.
In 2025, the Bengals got off to a 2-0 start under Burrow before “turf toe” sidelined their star quarterback. Struggles under Browning paved the way for a trade to acquire Flacco, who is in the midst of a historic statistical run with a game at Pittsburgh up next. His 11 touchdown passes this season have increased his career total to 270, putting him within striking distance of Joe Montana (273) and into the Top 20 for NFL quarterbacks.
For Cincinnati, the addition of the 40-year-old veteran has brought a sense of steadiness and renewed offensive rhythm to a team still fighting to stay afloat in the AFC playoff race.
Over the past five seasons, Zac Taylor’s offense has proven to be one of the NFL’s most adaptable and quarterback-friendly systems. It has been capable of producing elite numbers regardless of who is under center. From Burrow’s precision and poise to Browning’s efficiency in relief and now Flacco’s improbable late-career resurgence, Taylor’s scheme consistently has maximized the strengths of each signal-caller to sustain one of the league’s most prolific passing attacks.
Maintaining elite passing numbers with three starting quarterbacks in such a short span has been rare in the National Football League, highlighting both the adaptability of the Bengals’ offense and the ingenuity of their system.
Ryan Michael is a sportswriter, historian for the Calgary Stampeder Alumni Association (CSAA) and a contributor to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You can follow him on X (@theryanmichael) and read more of his work on www.stampederalumni.com
This article is the latest in an ongoing series highlighting noteworthy quarterback play over the past 80 seasons. Information from Pro-Football-Reference.com’s database helped make the research possible.
Special to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
When Joe Flacco threw for 470 yards against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 2, 2025, the 17-year veteran added his name to the NFL’s record book.
His passing yardage total bested the 447 yards by Tom Brady on Sept. 17, 2017, against the New Orleans Saints, the previous high-water mark for passing yards by a quarterback in his 40s.
Flacco’s production since joining the Bengals this season has been electric: 112 of 173 for 1,254 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions — a rate so prolific it would amount to 5,330 yards and 47 touchdown passes over a full 17-game season. For a quarterback long-known for his poise and deep-ball accuracy, Flacco’s late-career resurgence has revived memories of postseason brilliance more than a decade ago in Baltimore.
That’s nothing new in Cincinnati.
After taking Joe Burrow with the No. 1 selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bengals turned the corner quickly.
In 2021, Burrow, a former Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU, threw for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns. He led the NFL in completion percentage (70.4%), yards per passing attempt (8.9) and adjusted yards per passing attempt (8.96). Such success foreshadowed a postseason run that saw the Bengals topple all of their AFC opponents, including a 27-24 overtime upset over the Chiefs — on the road in Kansas City — to win the AFC Championship Game.
In Super Bowl LVI against Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams defense, Burrow completed 22 of 33 passes for 263 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions and a 100.9 passer rating as the Bengals fell just short, 23-20.
In 2022, Burrow threw for 4,475 yards and 35 touchdown passes, again leading the AFC in completion percentage (68.3%). After defeating Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens and Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in back-to-back playoff games, Burrow and the Bengals fell to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in an AFC Championship Game rematch 23-20.
Burrow got off to a rocky start the following season. He battled a right calf injury sustained during training camp and struggled through the first four games of the 2023 season. He eventually found his rhythm, however, and over the next six games completed 157 of 214 passes (73.4%) for 1,581 yards, 13 touchdowns, four interceptions and a 106.5 passer rating.
Just as he was hitting his stride, he injured his wrist in Week 11 against the Ravens, abruptly ending his season.
In relief of Burrow, backup quarterback Jake Browning completed 171 of 243 passes for 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a 98.4 passer rating. He averaged 8.0 yards per attempt, tied for fourth in the league, and led the NFL in completion percentage at 70.4%
In 2024, Burrow returned with a vengeance, leading the NFL in completions (460), passing yards (4,918), touchdown passes (43) and passing first downs (253), while topping the AFC in pass success-percentage (53.6%). For the second time in his career, he was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, having previously earned the honor in 2021.
In 2025, the Bengals got off to a 2-0 start under Burrow before “turf toe” sidelined their star quarterback. Struggles under Browning paved the way for a trade to acquire Flacco, who is in the midst of a historic statistical run with a game at Pittsburgh up next. His 11 touchdown passes this season have increased his career total to 270, putting him within striking distance of Joe Montana (273) and into the Top 20 for NFL quarterbacks.
For Cincinnati, the addition of the 40-year-old veteran has brought a sense of steadiness and renewed offensive rhythm to a team still fighting to stay afloat in the AFC playoff race.
Over the past five seasons, Zac Taylor’s offense has proven to be one of the NFL’s most adaptable and quarterback-friendly systems. It has been capable of producing elite numbers regardless of who is under center. From Burrow’s precision and poise to Browning’s efficiency in relief and now Flacco’s improbable late-career resurgence, Taylor’s scheme consistently has maximized the strengths of each signal-caller to sustain one of the league’s most prolific passing attacks.
Maintaining elite passing numbers with three starting quarterbacks in such a short span has been rare in the National Football League, highlighting both the adaptability of the Bengals’ offense and the ingenuity of their system.
Ryan Michael is a sportswriter, historian for the Calgary Stampeder Alumni Association (CSAA) and a contributor to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You can follow him on X (@theryanmichael) and read more of his work on www.stampederalumni.com
This article is the latest in an ongoing series highlighting noteworthy quarterback play over the past 80 seasons. Information from Pro-Football-Reference.com’s database helped make the research possible.
More of this series
- Analysis: Charlie Conerly’s giant accomplishments hold up as eras pass
- Y.A. Tittle’s journey from San Francisco to New York
- Analysis: An appreciation of Sammy Baugh’s historic 1943 season
- Legendary seasons for Sid Luckman, Peyton Manning separated by 70 years
- Looking back at TB12’s historic 2011 season 12 years later
- Russell Wilson’s decade of dominance in Seattle remains elite
- Roger Staubach’s 1971: The greatest season you’ve never heard about
- Silver anniversary: Randall Cunningham’s solid gold season with Vikings
- 50 years since Unitas’ last pass: Some things you might not know about No. 19
- Race to the top: Brady’s battle with Brees for the NFL’s most hallowed record
- Analysis: Did Andrew Luck exceed hype or fall short?
- Silver anniversary of John’s Elway’s sterling final game
- As cold as ice: Perception of Matt Ryan’s legacy after ‘28-3’
- Cam Newton leads high-flying 2015 Carolina Panthers
- Peyton Manning’s four-year rodeo in Mile High City
- Dan Marino eclipsed long-standing TD record 40 years ago
- Analysis: Quarterbacking excellence can continue after Big 4-0
- Matthew Stafford’s career arc placing him among game’s elite
- From Montreal to Buffalo: Marv Levy’s pursuit of victory
- Doug Flutie: From magic to mentor
- Analysis: Joe Flacco further evolving Bengals’ prolific passing attack
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