Cincinnati — With their offense having trouble moving the ball and down 17-3 late in the third quarter, the Bengals needed Jake Browning to be almost flawless, and he was.
In his most remarkable performance since taking over for the injured Joe Burrow, Browning guided Cincinnati to three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and masterminded the winning drive in overtime as the Bengals defeated the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 on Saturday to strengthen their playoff position.
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Following a right wrist injury that ended Burrow’s season in a defeat to Baltimore, Browning won his third straight start and raised his record to 3-1. This time, he became the fourth quarterback in the last two years to pass for at least that many yards and two or more touchdowns after three quarters when he completed 184 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“It feels like I need a beer,” Browning remarked after defeating a team that had cut him from its practice squad the previous two years.
With 39 seconds remaining in regulation, Tee Higgins leaped over a Vikings defender to catch a 16-yard ball from Browning and twist at the goal line for the game-tying touchdown.
Then, in overtime, Cincinnati (8-6) moved into Vikings territory when a scurrying Browning found Tyler Boyd for a 44-yard connection. This set up Evan McPherson’s game-winning 29-yard field goal.
“Jake’s just so steady, you know?” Coach Zac Taylor of the Bengals stated. “He is, in fact. An unfavorable play doesn’t bother him. He doesn’t take it personally.”
In addition to two touchdowns, both to Higgins, Browning completed 29 of 42 passes for 324 yards and one interception. In his four starts, he has completed passes to eleven receivers and has a 110.9 passer rating.
The fourth quarterback to start a game for the Vikings this year, Nick Mullens, performed admirably in the loss. He threw two interceptions despite passing for 303 yards and two touchdowns.
Mullens described the football game as “an absolute grind.” “But those are the types of games you want to be in.”
