Jake Browning threw for 354 yards and a touchdown in his second career start, and the Cincinnati Bengals stunned the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-31 in overtime on Monday night.Browning also ran for a score as the Bengals (6-6) won on Monday Night Football for the first time since 1990 on Evan McPherson’s 48-yard field goal.
Cincinnati quarterback Jake Browning, making his second career start after Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury, completed 32 of 37 passes for 354 yards and a touchdown – and also ran for a score.
More than the result may prove costly for the Jaguars (8-4), who lost quarterback Trevor Lawrence to a right ankle injury late in the fourth quarter. Left tackle Walker Little stepped on Lawrence’s ankle, causing him to twist it as he was sacked. Lawrence tried to get up, but dropped to the ground, ripped off his helmet and threw it away in disgust.
Lawrence had completed 22 of 29 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns before he had to leave the field.
The NFL Network reported it had been diagnosed as a sprained ankle but Lawrence would undergo an MRI scan on Tuesday.
Jake Browning Masterclass
Jake Browning was just as brilliant in place of Joe Burrow, who watched and coached from the sideline while wearing a cast and a sling. Browning completed 32 of 37 passes and directed the overtime drive that set up McPherson’s winner. McPherson, who played collegiately at nearby Florida, banged a 57-yarder off the crossbar in the same direction early in the game.
“Feels good, I definitely had to earn it,” Browning said when asked about his first professional win as a starter. “I thought we played a complete game on offense, the defense came up with the stops we needed. It’s been a long time since I won a game, so it feels good.
The Bengals made it harder than it should have been when coach Zac Taylor called a trick play that turned into a debacle in the third quarter. Browning lateraled to receiver Tyler Boyd, who inexplicably threw directly to pass rusher Josh Allen. Allen caught the ball for his second career interception. The Jaguars scored four plays later when Lawrence jumped and stretched the ball across the goal line.
It was the second bungled trick play for the Bengals, who also lost seven yards when Chase completed a double pass to Browning. Still, the Bengals finished with 491 yards and were 8 of 14 on third down.
The loss drops Jacksonville to 8-4 on the season, while the Bengals improve to 6-6 — and 1-1 since Burrow was ruled out for the season with an injury to his right wrist.
The Jaguars are now left wondering whether Lawrence’s injury will end his season. The Bengals are familiar with that pit of uncertainty. Joe Burrow stood on the sideline in Jacksonville with his throwing arm in a sling, as backup
Aaron Rodgers, Anthony Richardson, Deshaun Watson and Daniel Jones have also sustained season-ending injuries during a battered and bruised year for franchise quarterbacks. Justin Fields has missed a handful of games, and Kenny Pickett and Derek Carr could miss upcoming games due to the injuries they sustained Sunday.