Bengals QB Joe Flacco practices ahead of Bears game

Flacco Steps Up Practice, Bears Expect a Tough Match Against the Bengals.

Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco has taken a significant step forward in his recovery from a shoulder sprain. After sitting out Wednesday's practice and being listed as a limited participant on Thursday, he was upgraded to full participation for the day. According to receiver Ja'Marr Chase, Flacco looked "back to normal" during Thursday's session.

Flacco will face off against the Bengals on Sunday in what is expected to be a tough matchup. Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen acknowledged that veteran quarterbacks like Flacco can be difficult to prepare for, saying, "There's not a lot of things you can get away with." Allen also highlighted new cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who brings a competitive edge and will play at slot cornerback.

Gardner-Johnson, who was signed by the Bears on Wednesday, has been coaching experience under Allen in New Orleans. He is described as a highly competitive player who competes on every single play. The Bears began to "force-feed" him snaps at slot cornerback during practice, with him missing no downs.

The Bears have had some defensive struggles over the last four seasons, ranking 25th this season with just 14 touchdowns allowed in 67 games. They will look to improve their performance against Flacco and the Bengals on Sunday.

omg u guys flacco is gonna be a beast this wkend i dont think its fair tho that ppl r expecting so much from him after gettin hurt, hes made huge progress & should b given some credit c.j. gardner-johnson looks like an awesome addition to the bears defense too, cant w8 2 c them play against flacco & the Bengals

idk man... i think joe flacco is gonna crush it against the bears , but at the same time, i'm like, totally uncertain about it . he's been practicing for days now and stuff looks good, but you never know what's gonna happen on sunday, right?

i also don't know if c.j. gardner-johnson is the answer to our problems , i mean, new corners are always hyped but we need results, you feel? and the bears defense has been pretty meh for years now... 25th in the league... what's gonna change this sunday?

I'm thinking the Bengals are gonna give the Bears a run for their money on Sunday! Joe Flacco is looking sharp after that injury, and he's got some serious skills under his belt. The fact that the Bears are trying to "force-feed" C.J. Gardner-Johnson at slot cornerback shows they're taking this game seriously too . Allen's experience with new players will definitely come in handy here. I'm actually thinking the Bengals might take it to the end and make some noise in the NFC... who knows?

omg i wasnt expecting flacco to get back out there that fast he's gonna make life hard for the bears' D, no doubt about it i feel bad for them tho, cant really take a break from practice with this guy back in the lineup still think they got this tho, allen's got a solid gameplan gotta see how gardner-johnson fits into the mix

I think the Bears are in for a real challenge against the Bengals, especially with Joe Flacco back in the game . The fact that he looked "back to normal" during practice is a good sign, but I'm sure Dennis Allen's team will be up for it . Gardner-Johnson's addition does bring some excitement to their secondary, and if they can manage to contain Flacco, it could be a game-changer . The Bears have struggled on defense lately, so this is an opportunity for them to step up and show what they're capable of . But hey, that's what makes football exciting – the unpredictability !

The Bengals are definitely looking like they're gonna put up a good fight against the Bears this Sunday! Joe Flacco's back to his old self and that's always a problem for defenses . I mean, can't really blame the Bears for being nervous about him, he is kinda the ultimate 'game-changer' QB . On the other hand, C.J. Gardner-Johnson seems like a solid addition to their defense - love how they're feeding him all those snaps at slot corner !

Omg this is gonna be a sick match Flacco's back & ready to throw and I'm low-key nervous for the Bears, they need to step up their game Gardner-Johnson looks solid at corner though his competitive edge will be a game-changer hopefully the Bears can keep him from exploiting any weaknesses

omg can u believe its gonna be a tough match against flacco!! he's looking back to normal already and that's scary for the bears i mean, allen said it himself, veteran qbs like flacco are hard to prepare for plus they got a new corner in c.j. gardner-johnson who sounds like a beast he's all about competing on every play, that's some serious attitude so yeah, the bears gotta bring their A-game if they wanna take down flacco and the bengals

I'm a bit worried about how the Bears are gonna hold up against Joe Flacco on Sunday . I mean, he's been looking pretty sharp in practice and is expected to be back to full strength by then . They need to make sure C.J. Gardner-Johnson is comfortable at slot cornerback and can keep pace with Chase's speed - it's gonna be a tough matchup . The Bears have had some issues on defense recently, so if they can't contain Flacco, it's gonna be a long day . I'm hoping Allen's game plan will come together and the Bears can pull off an upset !

omg i'm so excited for this match!!! flacco is a beast on the field and i can see why the bears are worried. c.j. gardner-johnson seems like a game-changer, he's got that competitive edge that every coach wants in their player . i'm curious to see how the bears' defense will hold up against him, they've had some struggles in the past but if they can figure out a way to stop flacco, it could be a major win for them .

oh man, can't wait for sunday's match think flacco is gonna bring his A game against the bears but bear's defense needs to step up their game gotta see how gardner-johnson fits into the slot cornerback role if he brings that competitive edge like allen said it could make a big difference

I don’t usually comment but I think it’s crazy how far Flacco has come! Sitting out practice and now he's back to doing full sessions? That's like, a huge step forward . And can you believe Gardner-Johnson just joined the team? Sounds like they're really pushing him into his role at slot cornerback - hope that guy brings some serious heat against Flacco on Sunday . The Bears have had some defensive issues in the past, so it's gonna be interesting to see if they've got this one figured out . I’m not sure how Flacco is gonna do against them though, he’s always been a tough opponent

I gotta say, I'm a bit surprised Joe Flacco is looking "back to normal" already? Like, shouldn't he be taking it easy after that shoulder sprain? But hey, if he's practicing full tilt, that's a good sign for the Bengals. The Bears are gonna have their hands full with Flacco, no doubt. I mean, they're not exactly known for their defense, so this could get interesting. And Gardner-Johnson seems like a solid addition, but can he keep up with the likes of Flacco? We'll see on Sunday!

man I think the bears got this one coming theyre gonna struggle against flacco he looks way more active than joe was last week, and c.j gardner johnson seems like a beast on defense gotta keep an eye on him, but realistically the bengals got a good shot at beating em

think about it, a guy like joe flacco, he's been through injuries and stuff, but now he's back to full practice, that's like, a reminder that we're all human, we all go through ups and downs... and what happens when we come back from those downs? we get stronger, right? so the bears have to adapt, be like joe flacco, anticipate every move... it's not just about the player, it's about us as fans, how do we react when our team is struggling? do we lose hope or do we believe in them? and what about the game itself, Sunday match, tough matchup, but that's what makes it exciting, right?

I'm still not convinced that the Bears can take down the Bengals . I mean, Joe Flacco is a vet QB and he's looking pretty sharp right now . The new cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson seems like a great addition to their defense, but can they actually make a difference? The Bears have struggled defensively for years and it's hard to see them suddenly shutting down Flacco and the Bengals' offense .

That being said, I do think the Bears will give it a good shot . Dennis Allen is a solid coach and he knows how to prepare his team for tough matchups . But at the end of the day, if Flacco is on, I just don't see my Bears coming out on top . Still, I'll be watching with interest on Sunday .

I'm intrigued by Flacco's rapid recovery – it speaks volumes about his dedication and work ethic . The Bears are clearly aware that they're in for a tough battle, which is refreshing to see from a team perspective . I do wonder if Gardner-Johnson's coaching background under Allen will give the Bears an edge in terms of game strategy – could be a key factor in their success against the Bengals . On another note, it's interesting to consider how Flacco's playing style might be impacted by his injury – was he always this unpredictable?

omg i'm so hyped for sunday's game joe flacco is back and he's gonna bring it the bengals are gonna be tough, but the bears have a new corner in c.j gardner-johnson who looks fire ️ i've been watching him play and he's got that competitive edge that's gonna give the bears an edge plus denis allen is like the ultimate coach, he knows how to get his players ready for a tough opponent so i think this one's gonna be a close game, but i'm still putting my money on the bengals what do you guys think?

so Flacco is back to normal lol, that's a huge boost for the Bears' chances. I'm thinking it's gonna be a intense game, especially with Gardner-Johnson on the field... he seems like the real deal, someone who can bring some much-needed energy to the defense . I wonder if Flacco will be able to take advantage of any weaknesses in the Bears' D? They've had some struggles with QBs before, so it'll be interesting to see how they react to him... do you think the Bengals have a good shot at beating them this week?