Joe Flacco's attempt to guide the Bengals across troubled waters may be interrupted in Week 9.
The quarterback is dealing with an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder and it is uncertain if he'll play on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday.
Flacco went to the locker room late during Cincinnati's Week 8 loss to the New York Jets with the injury before returning late in the contest without missing a snap. Coach Zac Taylor described Flacco's status as day to day on Monday.
Taylor confirmed Wednesday that Flacco was dealing with a "very painful" AC joint sprain in his right shoulder and won't practice. The Bengals coach added it's too early to tell if Flacco will play Sunday.
"If anybody in the league can get by with minimal reps right now, it's him," Taylor said of Flacco. "He wants to play in the game. So, kudos to him, man. He's been here three weeks. He wants to play. Hate speaking for him, but that's what he's told me. We'll have to work through the week to see if (he's) able to do that. It's a throwing shoulder. It's painful.
"But I mean, golly, a guy who wants to do that, wants to get out there and play with something like that, credit to him."
Jake Browning would start if Flacco cannot go. Browning began the season as Joe Burrow's backup and started three games after Burrow suffered a toe injury this season before the Bengals traded for Flacco on Oct. 7.
"I've been happy with Jake's response," Taylor said. "He's still working hard. If he's in there and he gets the opportunity, I have confidence in Jake that Jake can win us the game."
A known expert in turning seemingly doomed playoff contenders back toward the postseason, Flacco injected new life into the Bengals by leading them to a thrilling 33-31 win over the Steelers in his second start for Cincinnati, just 10 days after the Cleveland Browns dealt him to the opposite corner of Ohio. Overall, however, Flacco hasn't been able to overcome the Bengals' catastrophic defensive breakdowns, which snowballed into an avalanche of Jets fourth-quarter points in their Week 8 defeat.
If Flacco cannot go Sunday, the road will seemingly only become more difficult with Browning in the lineup. Although he threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns in his final outing as Cincinnati's starter this season, Browning struggled mightily with turnovers, throwing eight interceptions in four appearances. If there's one thing these Bengals cannot afford, it's extra possessions for opposing offenses.
We'll see if Flacco's status improves before the Bengals host the Bears on Sunday.
