AFC Notes: Matt Canada, Joe Flacco, Jake Browning, Bengals, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

Bengals OC Brian Callahan and HC Zac Taylor commented on the team’s new starting QB Jake Browning, who appears to be the team’s starter for the remainder of not just the regular season, but the playoffs as well as QB Joe Burrow won’t be returning this year.

“That’s one of the things that you’re going to learn about Jake,” Callahan said of Browning, via the Cincinnati Enquirer. “As you guys get to know him, (you’ll see that) he’s not scared. He’s going to let the ball go. He’s going to put it where it’s supposed to be and he’s going to do it with confidence. And that gives me a lot of confidence. That gives our offense a lot of confidence. You’re going to see Jake not be afraid at all to be aggressive. “He’ll try to make plays. I think that’s one of his strong suits. For him to make a couple of completions like that, that just shows you where his mindset is.”

“I thought what was so special about (Browning) was how confident and calm he was,” Taylor added. “That allowed me to call everything that was on the menu and not have to dumb it down because a new guy’s coming in the game. So that gave me confidence.”

• Bengals DC Lou Anarumo said third-round S Jordan Battle will be the starter at strong safety, while S Nick Scott will take a smaller role, with the move being initiated by a difference in tackling. (Kelsey Conway)

Browns

New Browns QB Joe Flacco has another opportunity in his NFL career at age 38 and while not initially slated to start for Cleveland, he could get a shot if fifth-round QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson falters down the stretch. 

“I definitely believe I can still play,” Flacco said, via Jake Trotter of ESPN. “I’m a veteran guy that’s been around a lot at this point in the season with a team that’s doing well,” Flacco said. “So, I think there’s a lot of different things I that I can bring to the table. Whatever my role ends up being and wherever this takes me, then I’ll do my best at that.”

Flacco admitted he was starting to accept he might not get another NFL shot before Cleveland called with the chance to do a workout. 

“As I sat at home for most of this year, I was probably beginning to lose a little bit of faith in that,” Flacco said. “I was excited to do it. You want to go impress. It was cool and it was a good workout.”

Steelers

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin spoke in-depth about the decision to fire OC Matt Canada following their loss to the Browns, which he says was his choice alone due to the way the offense was performing.

“Our most recent performance was a component of it, but I just think you know when you’re there, to be blunt and short about the answer,” Tomlin said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “Again, not saying that flippantly, not taking the situation lightly at all, but just having been in the role that I’ve been in for some time, you just know when you’re there, and usually it’s a totality of a myriad of variables.”

“The biggest crux of it was results,” Tomlin added on the decision. “I often say football is our game, our business is winning. We weren’t winning enough and fluidly enough, and that’s just the reality of it. The improvements were not rapid enough or consistent enough for us to proceed. You got to score touchdowns in this business. You got to win games in this business and just the totality of it has us where we are today.”

Tomlin was then asked about the struggles of QB Kenny Pickett and WR Diontae Johnson this season.

“There hadn’t been enough continuity in our work,” Tomlin replied about Pickett and Johnson. “Certainly it hadn’t developed at the rate that I would like it to. We’re still showing signs of September football in some instances, and that’s unacceptable, man. It’s late November. I just want to see points. I want to engineer victory more fluidly, and points do that.”

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects the Steelers to make RB Jaylen Warren and WR George Pickens more of a focus for the offense under new play-caller Mike Sullivan.