Jake Browning proved he was a quick learner after guiding the Cincinnati Bengals to a 34-31 overtime win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Browning started the season on the Bengals’ practice squad before being elevated to their second-choice quarterback. And when Joe Burrow sustained a season-ending wrist injury in week 11, it was his time to shine.
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There were teething problems in the 16-10 defeat to Pittsburgh on his debut but, after a week of analysis, he showed his best stuff against the Jags, throwing for 354 yards on 32-of-37 passing and two total touchdowns.
“I learned a lot from the Pittsburgh game and was really able to focus on some of those things throughout the week of practice,” Browning said.
“I think the main thing is just having those reps and having another week of it. And we were able to put up points.”
The 27-year-old may have registered a first NFL victory but he insisted that winning feeling was not totally alien.
“I haven’t played a lot of football, but it’s not like I’m not used to winning,” added Browning, who won a prep state title at Folsom High before spending four seasons at the University of Washington.
“I’ve won a lot of games in my career. None of them have been in the NFL until today, which is obviously noteworthy. I’ve won a lot of football games in my life.”
Bengals coach Zac Taylor was certainly impressed having watched Browning improve his team to 5-6 for the season.
“He lit the world on fire,” said Taylor.
“We can see the intangible stuff and the preparation he puts in. But when he goes out there and he leads the team like he did, I certainly think it raises the entire confidence level of the team.”
If a last-gasp defeat wasn’t bad enough for Jacksonville, they also lost quarterback Trevor Lawrence to an ankle injury in the fourth quarter that will require tests this week.
Coach Doug Pederson, whose AFC South-leading side slipped to 8-4, has belief in back-up CJ Beathard should Lawrence have to miss some time.
“We’ll see where Trevor’s at first, but we’ve got 100 per cent confidence in CJ,” Pederson said.
“He’s a veteran player. He’s played a lot of football, and if he happens to be the guy then we’ll get behind him and support him.”
