Bengals

Bengals QB Joe Flacco exploded for 342 yards and three touchdowns in Thursday Night’s win over the Steelers. Flacco said he was unsure if he’d experience a game like Thursday’s ever again at this point in his career. 

“It felt like I might not. … My wife and my siblings, and my dad and my mom: We’re all still so invested in this. … Talking to those people reminds you of how special this is,” Flacco said, via Jordan Schultz. 

Flacco was asked about Steelers HC Mike Tomlin‘s comments regarding the Browns’ “shocking” decision to trade him.

“I didn’t get to see how upset he was, but you know I think he’s probably just playing the game a little bit and you know doing whatever he has to do,” Flacco said, via PFT.

Browns

Browns WR Jerry Jeudy doesn’t believe the team is pressing on offense, but they have to stop putting themselves in negative yardage situations.

“Pressing? No, not really,” Jeudy said, via Akron Beacon Journal. “I don’t think we’re pressing. I think the situations that we’ve been in, really. I’m just thinking about my personal penalty on the 15 yards now we behind the sticks, now we got to throw the ball. We can’t really run the ball offensively behind the sticks, so I don’t really think we’re forcing anything. I just think all guys, we just got to play better overall as a unit and just execute our plays and everybody do their job. That’s it, for real.”

Jeudy admitted there’s a natural level of frustration that creeps in as the team continues to lose games and his production isn’t where he hopes for it to be.

“I mean you’re going to be frustrated,” Jeudy said. “It’s football, you’re going to be frustrated during the season, each game. You just can’t let that frustration, frustration carry over until the next week and into your playing style or into your habits. You can be frustrated but you can’t let you hold that back from reaching your goals or doing what you’re supposed to do to be better.”

Jeudy added that the quarterback change to rookie QB Dillon Gabriel, a lefty, doesn’t have an impact on his ability to catch the ball.

“Honestly, I don’t think it’s difficult at all,” Jeudy said. “The football is still the same size. It might spin a little different, but you still got to catch it the same way. So it is not really too much adjustment that need to be done. We just got to concentrate on the ball coming towards us and instead of making a play. You got to catch the ball first. So then make a play after that.”

Gabriel added that Jeudy has the utmost support of the offense and the team as a whole.

“We believe in Jerry,” Gabriel said. “Jerry believes in himself, and I think we’re going to just continue to work at it. It’s one of those things you got to work your way through. I don’t want to keep sounding mundane and saying the same thing, but it starts with me and being able to help that connection. Then of course just creating easy touches and then the rest will come. But the confidence building for everyone is a part of it as well.”

Browns

• The Browns’ receivers have struggled with drops so far this season. When asked about the topic, WRs coach Chad O’Shea responded that they are focusing on the fundamentals: “We emphasize the fundamentals. That’s the only way I know how to do it as a coach.” (Scott Petrak)
• Browns LB coach Jason Tarver highly praised rookie LB Carson Schwesinger for picking up their system quickly and thinks he made some “great” plays in Week 6 against the Steelers, via Petrak. 
• Cleveland officially ruled out TE David Njoku (knee) from Week 7 and listed DT Michael Hall (knee), OT Jack Conklin (concussion), DL Mason Graham (knee), WR Greg Larvadain (concussion), and DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (hip) as questionable. (Zac Jackson)
• Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said Graham is considered “day-to-day” with his knee injury, via Petrak. 
• Hall said he’s been recovering from a torn MCL and a dislocated knee, and he’s undergone two different surgeries on the injury, including the last one in April, per Mary Kay Cabot. 
• Cleveland shockingly traded Joe Flacco to the Bengals, a divisional opponent. When asked about the deal to send Flacco away, DE Myles Garrett said their decision-makers didn’t view Flacco as the best fit for their offense and wanted someone with mobility, per Petrak. 
• Garrett admitted that he’s frustrated with their 1-5 start to the season: “Hell, we frustrated too. Not like they can be any more frustrated than us. They wear the colors and support us. We’re forever grateful. Trying to get them wins. It’s tough for everybody.” (Petrak)

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