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• Jake Browning’s story is fascinating to me. He was one of the most productive quarterbacks in the history of California high school football. He was a program-changer at Washington, leading the Huskies to their best stretch since the 1990s. And, yet, because of physical limitations, he slid right through the 2019 NFL draft.
Four years later, he climbed on to the stage and completely stole the show.
Browning finished Monday’s OT win in Jacksonville with 354 yards, a touchdown and a 115.5 rating on 32-of-37 passing—a stat line that would qualify as a great one even for the quarterback, Joe Burrow, he’s replacing. And while those numbers might have surprised the Bengals coaches before the game, the way Browning played, based on what they’d seen from him over the past three years, didn’t.
We’ll get to that in a second, but, first, it’s worth mentioning that Browning’s mere presence on the Bengals’ roster is, in fact, a product of good fortune and circumstance. Ahead of Week 1 in 2021, Cincinnati needed a practice-squad quarterback. Browning had just been cut by the Vikings, after spending two seasons on Minnesota’s practice squad—pushed off the roster by third-round pick Kellen Mond. As the Bengals were looking at their options, the fact that Cincinnati was playing Minnesota that week was a factor in choosing Browning to fill the spot.
That sort of thing is common in the NFL with practice-squad and fringe roster additions; teams will take the opportunity to fill a spot with a player they might be able to mine for information ahead of that week’s game. In this case, Browning used the opportunity to make a big and immediate impression. Even with Burrow and Brandon Allen on the 53-man roster, Browning showed his football IQ quickly, so much so that the Bengals decided to keep developing him—through 2021 and ’22, Browning was never cut off the practice squad.
Which brings us to Monday night’s game against the Jaguars. Cincinnati had a really nice week of practice coming out of Browning’s first start (a loss to Pittsburgh). As a result, Zac Taylor, Brian Callahan and Dan Pitcher had a better feel for how to build a game plan for Browning: doing a little more in the keeper game to get Browning throwing on the move, and a little less than they had out of empty sets, with more 7-man protections across the board.
Now, does that mean the Bengals are going to the playoffs?
It actually could. They’re 6–6 right now, just a game back of the Steelers, Browns, Colts and Texans, who are tied for the three wild-card spots. They play Indianapolis on Sunday, then the Vikings, Steelers, Chiefs and Browns. So, yes, I’m saying there is a chance. And it’s because, in part, of how all those things came together two years ago.
