The Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor didn’t give a long speech after the Bengals’ Week 7, Thursday night win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He kept it simple. The locker room buzzed with energy. The players caught somewhere between relief and excitement. Talking about the game, Taylor looked happier than ever as he showered honors on veteran quarterback Joe Flacco and star wideout Ja’Marr Chase.

Not only did the Bengals break a four-game losing streak, but they are also going 2-0 in the division. The Week 7 victory was electric, and Zac Taylor awarded a whole host of game balls to everyone who earned them. The defense came first, as Taylor noted, “turnovers matter.” Placekicker Evan McPherson also got a game ball for bringing 15 points on the board with his precise kicks. But the biggest shoutouts were reserved for the O-line, Flacco and Chase as Taylor listed out their game stats and tossed game balls to them.

“31 for 47, for 342 yards, three touchdowns, a game-winning drive, Joe Flacco.” Taylor noted, tossing a game ball to the smiling and clapping quarterback. “And breaking his own franchise record for catches in the game, 16 for 161, and a touchdown, Ja’Marr Chase.”

Flacco was calm and efficient. This wasn’t the same quarterback who struggled to find targets in the Cleveland Browns’ offense. After finding his footing in their Week 6 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Flacco was in sync. The O-line hummed back to life, and Flacco torched the Steelers’ iconic defense with just two sacks taken and zero interceptions thrown. Then there’s Chase.

Chase extended drives, broke through defenses, and kept the momentum alive, breaking his own franchise catching record in the process. Chase’s previous record was 15 catches for 192 yards in the 2023 season. With this new record, Chase is now tied 9th in the league for most receptions in a single game. But that’s just all about the numbers. You simply cannot talk about Flacco and Chase post Week 7 without discussing the vibe they had going for themselves.

Ja’Marr Chase & Joe Flacco: leading the charge

Chase was on fire. Those sixteen catches weren’t just a franchise record. They provided momentum, moved the chains and wore down the defense. The Steelers’ defense had been dominating offenses throughout the early season, but with Chase’s hands on the ball, the game shifted.

Flacco matched that with precision. On ESPN’s Get Up, even NFL legend Bart Scott noted, “Joe Flacco has one of the most underrated arms in all of football. He’s always had one of the strongest arms. If you give him predictable coverages… He will make you pay.” Flacco’s connections were smooth, even with little miscues here and there. He found 5 different targets throughout the game, with wideout Tee Higgins and tight end Noah Fant hauling in two touchdowns apart from the one by Chase.

Post-game, Flacco kept it simple: “It’s very fun. It’s because of games like this that we do what we do.”

Even Chase noted the offense had finally discovered the formula for success after Week 6’s stumbles. As Chase put it, “Last week, it seemed we had finally figured out how it was going to be with Flacco and the offensive line. And today we showed what we’re capable of.”

The locker room exploded with the Who Dey song after the game balls were handed out. With Zac Taylor calling plays and the stars rising, the AFC North has just become a lot more dangerous. Their next target is a struggling New York Jets crew. Will the Bengals be able to build a win-streak with Flacco now?