An Icy Hot Showdown: Flacco vs. Rodgers in Prime Time

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In a matchup that seemed tailor-made for drama, two quarterbacks in their 40s — Joe Flacco (40) and Aaron Rodgers (41) — rewrote Thursday Night Football. In a game that felt like part throwback, part modern shootout, it was Flacco who delivered the knockout punch in the final moments.

Flacco — in just his second start as a Bengal — calmly engineered the game’s final drive, putting his team in position for Evan McPherson’s 36-yard field goal with seven seconds left to seal a 33–31 win.

Rodgers wasn’t lacking fireworks. He threw four touchdown passes, all to tight ends, including a 68-yard bomb to Pat Freiermuth with 2:21 to go that briefly gave Pittsburgh the lead. But two interceptions and a few defensive miscues proved costly down the stretch.

The Supporting Cast That Made It Special

Ja’Marr Chase: The WR1 Taking Over the Game

If Flacco got the signature moment, Ja’Marr Chase provided the signature performance. He hauled in 16 receptions — a new Bengals franchise record — for 161 yards and a touchdown. Coverage schemes collapsed trying to contain him, and he drew extra attention, opening up room for others.

Resurrected Run Game + Defensive Game-Savvy Plays

Cincinnati’s ground attack, previously moribund, came alive. Chase Brown ripped off runs of 27 and 37 yards en route to 108 rushing yards — a season high. That balance forced Pittsburgh’s defense to stress over more than just covering receivers.

On defense, two interceptions were the difference-makers. Jordan Battle picked off a deep Rodgers attempt in the first half, while DJ Turner II ripped the ball free from DK Metcalf, securing another turnover. Those plays shifted momentum at critical junctures.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh’s defense was exposed in a few key areas. The line struggled to generate consistent pressure (especially without a healthy pass rush), and man coverage on the outside frequently got tested.

What It Means & What Comes Next

For Cincinnati, this win feels like a turning point. With Joe Burrow sidelined by injury, Flacco has injected life — and belief — into this offense. The Bengals now have momentum heading into a more forgiving stretch of their schedule.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, must reckon with an inconsistent defense and some untimely turnovers. Rodgers still looks sharp, but games like this leave little margin for error. The Steelers’ next few matchups will test whether their vulnerabilities can be exposed again.

And for the league’s narrative-makers? This one writes itself: veteran gunslingers going head-to-head, defenses bending but not breaking, and a finish that neither side will soon forget.