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In Appreciation Of Jake Browning

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (6) stands in the huddle in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. The Bengals fell to the Ravens, 34-20.

Syndication: The Enquirer

By Alex Schubert on December 28, 2023

Early in the season, when Joe Burrow was hindered by his calf injury, the philosophy of the Bengals coaching staff was “if he can walk onto the field, he’ll play.” The idea of Jake Browning under center couldn’t have made Bengals fans feel any worse.

Those Browning fears were realized the moment Burrow was physically unable to throw on the sideline. Joe Burrow had played at an MVP-like level prior to that game. To have him taken away suddenly due to a wrist injury was earth shattering for millions of Bengals fans and one mid-40s frat bro.

When it felt like the season was lost, Jake Browning came in and performed with historic efficiency. Since 1950, he is the only QB to have 1,000+ passing yards and completed over 75% of his passes in his first four starts. He gave Bengals fans hope just when it seemed like the Bengals weren’t going to win any of their games down the home stretch without their best player.

One of Browning’s bright spots is that he’s been able to spread the ball around and give everyone a chance to shine. Ja’Marr Chase put up a monster 11 reception, 149 yard game against Jacksonville, including a game-changing 75 yard TD in the third quarter. In the matchup against Minnesota, with Ja’Marr Chase going down in the fourth quarter, he turned Tee Higgins into a hero with two fourth quarter TDs. He also threw to Tyler Boyd for the game sealing 44 yard catch in OT. In the game against Indianapolis, Chase Brown and Tanner Hudson both caught their first career TDs.

Unfortunately, up to this point, Browning’s kryptonite has been the Steelers, as he’s suffered 16-10 and 34-11 losses at the hands of the boys in black and gold. While he’s done a good job at piling up yardage against them, his 2:4 TD to INT ratio leaves a lot to be desired. The most recent game against Pittsburgh was especially tough, as Browning threw three picks against a Steelers’ squad that was starting Mason Rudolph, who ended up making mince meat out of Cincinnati’s secondary.

In the press conference following the loss in Pittsburgh, Jake Browning blamed nobody but himself.

Even though the Week 16 loss to the Steelers was a major blow to Cincinnati’s 2023 playoff chances, Browning has still exceeded everybody’s expectations. There were pockets of pundits wondering if the Bengals would even win another game, and a handful of others were even suggesting the “tank for a draft pick” method. Browning did what any good QB would do in that situation – he blocked out the outside noise and walked onto the field with something to prove.

What he’s been able to accomplish since he was thrust into the starting role cannot be ignored. After the comeback win against Minnesota, Zac Taylor was complimentary of Browning’s “steady” style of play.

“Jake’s just so steady, he really is. He doesn’t get rattled by a negative play, doesn’t overreact to it… that’s what you want to see from your quarterback, a guy who doesn’t get too high or too low, is able to move on,” Taylor said.

2024 will feature a Bengals team that knows exactly what they have in both Joe Burrow and Jake Browning. Burrow is a game breaking QB who can beat anyone on the field both mentally and physically. Browning is an effective game manager who will rarely lose a football game by himself.

2023, on the other hand, has been a season that has seen more backup and young QBs getting regular starts than ever before, either due to injury or lackluster play from those teams’ starters. 10 rookies have started at least one game this year, more than any year in NFL history. Only 14 QBs have started every game for their teams this year, and that number could dip to 13 if the Commanders bench Sam Howell next week in favor of Jacoby Brissett.

Of the list of QBs that have found themselves thrust into the starting role, Browning has come in and been one of the better and more consistent signal callers out of all of them. Even in games where he didn’t have all his weapons, he continued to showcase his efficient style of play.

Browning’s next chance to get back to his efficient and winning ways will come on New Year’s Eve when the Bengals take on the Chiefs in Kansas City at 4:30pm. The Chiefs are coming off a struggling offensive performance of their own, as the Raiders scored two defensive touchdowns in such a short span, Tony Romo had to have his vitals checked.

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