Josh Jacobs ran for two scores and Jordan Love passed for another as the Green Bay Packers held on for a 27-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals and new quarterback Joe Flacco on Sunday.
Green Bay (3-1-1), which won its first two games, was coming off a bye after a 40-40 tie at Dallas the previous week, preceded by a 13-10 last-second loss at Cleveland. Cincinnati (2-4) lost its fourth straight.
The 40-year-old Flacco, acquired Tuesday in a trade with Cleveland, brought the Bengals within 24-18 with 4:11 remaining with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase on fourth-and-5. Flacco hit Chase Brown with the two-point conversion pass.
Lucas Havrisik, signed by Green Bay on Saturday due to kicker Brandon McManus’ right quad injury, hit a 39-yard field goal with 1:52 remaining to make it a two-score game.
Cincinnati’s Evan McPherson was wide right on a 56-yard field goal attempt with 46 seconds left.
Flacco, who started for Cleveland against the Packers in Week 3, completed 29 of 45 passes for 219 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Bengals acquired Flacco after backup Jake Browning struggled as a starter. Browning replaced Joe Burrow after the star quarterback suffered a toe injury in Week 2.
Love completed 19 of 26 passes for 259 yards with one interception. Jacobs carried 18 times for 93 yards.
Green Bay had a 409-268 advantage in total yards. The Bengals totaled just 55 yards on the ground.
After managing just 65 yards total offense in the first half, the Bengals opened the third quarter with a 17-play, 78-yard drive that consumed more than 10 minutes. Flacco hit Tanner Hudson with a 2-yard touchdown pass to pull Cincinnati within 10-7.
The Packers answered with 66-yard scoring drive, capped by Jacobs’ 14-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 17-7.
McPherson’s 45-yard field goal cut the lead to 17-10.
The Packers responded with a 62-yard scoring drive, capped by Love’s 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tucker Kraft to extend the lead to 24-10 with 7:41 remaining.
Havrisik put the Packers on top 3-0 with a 43-yard field goal early in the second quarter, capping a 12-play 71-yard drive.
Jacobs scored on a 3-yard run to push the lead to 10-0 with 4:05 left in the half. Love keyed the 80-yard drive with consecutive completions of 35 yards to Matthew Golden and 29 yards to Jacobs for first-and-goal at the 6.
McPherson missed a 67-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the first half.
