Cincinnati, Ohio (AP) — During a three-game losing streak, quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a wrist injury that ended his season, seemingly ending the Bengals’ chances of making the playoffs.
However, Jake Browning had a comment to make regarding that.
On Monday night, the backup quarterback—who was making just his second NFL start—had a memorable performance. In the 34-31 victory over Jacksonville, Browning—who had played on practice squads for the majority of his professional career—went 32 for 37 for 354 yards and a touchdown in addition to running for another score.The former University of Washington undrafted quarterback was able to move the ball against a Jacksonville team that, following a successful postseason run in 2017, has high expectations for this season.
It not only tied the Bengals’ record at 6-6, but it also greatly boosted their self-esteem. In the NFL, Browning proved he could succeed. And with five games remaining, Cincinnati’s window to make the playoffs remained open after AFC North rivals Pittsburgh and Cleveland lost last week.
“We still have a lot at stake,” Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor stated. “We’re in a position where we keep preaching about controlling our own destiny because of the way things are playing out around the league.
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The Bengals will find out if Browning can perform consistently when they host Indianapolis (7-5) on Sunday. The Colts have won four straight and are one game behind the first-place Jaguars in the AFC South. They’re also winning with a backup quarterback, Gardner Minshew, who stepped in and played well after Anthony Richardson was lost to a season-ending shoulder injury in October.
