Joe Flacco’s attempt to guide the Bengals through troubled waters could be derailed in Week 9.
The quarterback is dealing with an AC sprain in his throwing shoulder and it is uncertain whether he will play Sunday against the Chicago Bears, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday.
Flacco went to the locker room late in 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 listed Flacco’s status as day-to-day on Monday.
Taylor confirmed Wednesday that Flacco is dealing with a “very painful” AC sprain in his right shoulder and will not practice. The Bengals coach added that it was too early to say whether Flacco would play Sunday.
“If anybody in the league can get away with minimal reps right now, it’s him,” Taylor said of Flacco. “He wants to play in the game. So, congratulations to him, man. He’s been here for three weeks. He wants to play. Hate to speak for him, but that’s what he’s told me. We’ve got to work through the week to see if (he) can do it. 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, you should give him credit.”