Browning Leads Bengals to Another Improbable Win

The Bengals lost Joe Burrow for most of the game, but Jake Browning proved once again he's one of the NFL's best backup quarterbacks.

The cost was tremendous, but for the first time since 2018 and the first time in Zac Taylor’s tenure, the Cincinnati Bengals are 2 - 0 to start the season.  The 31 - 27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Bengals home opener featured a thrilling and unlikely comeback, several boneheaded mistakes by the Jaguars offense, and a tremendous performance from the Bengals three highest-paid players other than Joe Burrow – Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson.

But, it’s that “other than Joe Burrow” part that we have to talk about first.  Though the Bengals won the game, southern Ohio’s worst nightmare was realized.  Early in the second quarter, Burrow left the game with a toe injury.  The sight of him being helped to the locker room by two trainers, unable to put any weight on his left foot, was the season-altering catastrophe that’s been hanging over the Bengals since Burrow arrived in 2020.  The Bengals, once again, have proved unable to protect their most precious asset.  On just the third drive of their second game, the Bengals hopes and dreams were shattered.

And yet, in the most unlikely way, the Bengals rose to the occasion and shelved the narratives for at least a week.  Jake Browning, who proved himself a capable backup to Burrow in 2023, but didn’t attempt a pass in all of 2024, entered the game and led a spirited offensive effort.  First-year receiver Mitchell Tinsley caught a superb one-handed grab in the endzone to kick off the second half.  All the fireworks that failed to ignite last week against Cleveland must have been saved for Jacksonville.

Though he threw three interceptions (one of which wasn’t entirely his fault), Browning came up big with three touchdowns in the second half, two in the air and one leaping touchdown sneak to give the Bengals their first lead with 18 seconds to play in the fourth quarter.  His aggressiveness, along with some seriously improved pass blocking and a tremendous effort from both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, allowed the Bengals to steal a win without their superstar quarterback.

Chase, in particular, was massive in this contest.  His fourteen catches for 165 yards and a touchdown came in multiple ways.  He was dominant all game long, making plays along the sideline, in the middle of the field, and on screens.  Opposite him, Tee Higgins made his presence felt with an enormous 42-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to tie the game 24 - 24.  Without their two star receivers, the Bengals wouldn’t have stood a chance.

Equally as important: the incompetence of the Jaguars, particularly on offense and particularly their quarterback Trevor Lawrence.  At one point in the second quarter, the Jaguars committed an illegal shift on three consecutive possessions.  Lawrence cost his team dearly with two interceptions, including one in the red zone.  Worse, the Jaguars receivers chipped in with two critical drops, one by Dyami Brown that forced the Jags to settle for a field goal and another by Brian Thomas Jr. on fourth down that preceded the Bengals miracle 92-yard touchdown drive to seal it.

In many ways, this was a similar win to last week’s nail-biter against the Browns.  For much of the game, the Bengals opponent appeared to be the superior team.  But, in the most important moments, the Bengals made plays – the Jaguars didn’t.

As brutal as it was to see Burrow grimacing and limping for what feels like the millionth time, this was undoubtedly an enormous win.  It’s worth repeating: for the first time in the Zac Taylor Era, the Bengals are 2 - 0.  It’s early in the season, but already in two weeks, the Bengals have demonstrated the ability to win without playing their best ball, and the ability to win without their best player.  They capitalize on their opponents’ mistakes, and keep their poise in the biggest and most pressure-filled moments, on defense and and on offense.  Obviously, you’d like to see the Bengals get off to their best start in years with their quarterback healthy though, which makes this win a bit of a mixed-bag.

Still, it could have been much worse.  Burrow’s injury was disheartening, but not a season-ender.  He could play next week against the Minnesota Vikings, and if he can’t go, Browning has earned the benefit of the doubt.  And even if Browning comes back to Earth a bit and the Bengals fall against the Vikings, this is exactly what makes starting 2 - 0 so valuable.  They have some wiggle room.  Their margin for error is – finally – comfortable.

At the same time, this was far from a perfect win.  The offensive and defensive lines were consistently unable to win the lines of scrimmage throughout the contest, and the Bengals were eaten alive by the Jaguars third and fourth receivers.  Cornerback DJ Turner, hero against Cleveland last week, was picked on all game, and in another significant difference from the Cleveland game, the Bengals struggled to contain the run.

There’s plenty to work on, but at 2 - 0 with a road division win under their belt, the Bengals are, for the first time in years, in the driver’s seat, even though their would-be driver might miss some time.  If he does miss time, the Bengals have given themselves much-needed breathing room.  With the Pittsburgh Steelers losing to the Seattle Seahawks this afternoon, the Bengals are the lone unbeaten team in the AFC North and lead the division outright for the first time since 2022.

Burrow’s injury clouds the Bengals future, but he’ll undoubtedly be back in fairly short order.  Until then, the Bengals have shown they’re in good hands with Browning.  This wasn’t the kind of win that anyone would ask for, but it’s the kind of win that could spark the Bengals moving forward.  This team continues to battle through adversity and win, showing the resilience they sometimes lacked in 2024.  It's not the 2 - 0 you imagined, but it’s 2 - 0  all the same.