Joe Flacco’s career game all for nothing as Bengals’ miracle comeback turns into nightmare loss to Bears
The Cincinnati Bengals suffered a heartbreaking 47-42 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, dropping their record to 3-6. What initially looked like a sure-fire victory for Chicago on the road quickly turned into an epic collapse for Ben Johnson’s squad—until a Colston Loveland touchdown in the final minute changed everything.
For the Bengals, quarterback Joe Flacco put on a career day that ultimately went to waste once again. Flacco threw for a career-high 457 yards, marking his first-ever 400-yard game; his previous best was 389 yards. “What shoulder injury?” remarked Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated, referencing Flacco’s apparently minor ailment.
Flacco had been listed on the injury report all week with an AC joint sprain but still managed to put up the most yards of his lengthy career despite the loss. After the final drive, Flacco’s total yardage climbed to 470.
The game saw its pivotal moment when the Bengals were trailing 41-27, and Flacco threw what seemed to be a costly interception. Tremaine Edwards returned it for a Bears touchdown, but a review ruled Edwards down by contact, keeping the Bengals within 14 points.
With their defense forcing their only stop of the second half, Cincinnati regained possession with 2:15 left on the clock. Flacco responded by throwing a 23-yard touchdown pass to Noah Fant, followed by a two-point conversion to Tee Higgins. This cut the Bears’ lead to six points with 1:43 remaining.
The Bengals then executed a successful onside kick recovery and struck quickly again, with Flacco finding Andrei Iosivas for a touchdown just 49 seconds later. Suddenly, Cincinnati held a stunning one-point lead with only 54 seconds left in the game—it looked like victory was within reach.
However, the Bears mounted a final drive and stunned the Bengals’ defense once more. Colston Loveland broke free for a 58-yard touchdown, reclaiming the lead for Chicago. Flacco’s last-ditch attempt to respond was intercepted—his second of the day—sealing the Bengals’ fate.
Following last week’s fourth-quarter collapse against the New York Jets, Cincinnati desperately needed this win to remain in the AFC North race. Despite their efforts, the Bengals’ much-maligned defense faltered once again.
With the loss, the Bengals now stand at 3-6 as they head into their bye week.
https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/cincinnati-bengals/bengals-news-joe-flacco-career-game-miracle-comeback-nightmare-loss-bears
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