CINCINNATI — Jake Browning scored on a quarterback sneak with 18 seconds left to lead an improbable comeback as the Cincinnati Bengals rallied following the loss of quarterback Joe Burrow to a toe injury to defeat the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, 31-27, Sunday in Cincinnati.
Browning’s score capped a 92-yard drive to lead Cincinnati (2-0) to an unbeaten mark after two weeks for the first time since 2018. Browning finished 21-of-32 for 241 yards, two touchdowns passing and three interceptions.
Trevor Lawrence completed 25-of-43 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns and two interceptions for the Jaguars (1-1).
Burrow left with 8:36 remaining in the second quarter and did not return after suffering a toe injury on his left foot on an Arik Armstead sack.
The Bengals quarterback was taken to the ground midway through the second quarter when his left cleat appeared to catch in the turf. He was diagnosed with a toe injury and did not return. The Bengals later lost their first round draft pick Shemar Stewart to a right leg injury when he limped off the field flexing his right knee midway through the fourth quarter.
Ja’Marr Chase finished with 14 catches on 16 targets for 165 yards and a touchdown for the Bengals. Facing 4th-and-5 at the Cincinnati 33, Jacksonville first-round rookie Travis Hunter was called for pass interference on Andrei Iosivas to continue the drive to the Jacksonville 42.
The Bengals managed to rally behind Browning and erase a 17-10 halftime deficit and tie the game twice, 17-17 and 24-24.
Burrow was 7-of-13 for 76 yards and a touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase before being forced from the game with the toe injury.
Jacksonville took the game’s opening drive and marched 69 yards in nine plays, capped by a Lawrence to Dyami Brown 9-yard touchdown pass. The Bengals went three-and-out on the next series and the Jaguars were on the verge of taking a commanding two-touchdown lead before Lawrence was intercepted in the end zone.
The Bengals answered with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Burrow finding Ja’Marr Chase on an in-slant for four yards and a touchdown. The game was tied, 7-7, only briefly as the Jaguars drove 75 yards in eight plays, capped off by an eight-yard touchdown pass in the flat for Bhayshul Tuten.
The game changed drastically on the next series when Burrow fell to the turf under heavy pressure with 8:36 left in the second quarter. Burrow’s left cleat appeared to catch in the field turf and he laid on the turf for a minute before limping to the medical tent. He was in the tent for several minutes before heading to the locker room, first under his own power before leaning on the shoulders of training staff.
