Many fans assumed the Cincinnati Bengals season was over after Joe Burrow went down versus the Ravens with a torn ligament. The Bengals then went on to lose to their division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Then, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Bengals, with backup quarterback Jake Browning, won 34-31 in a shootout. Browning, who looked terrible against the Steelers, delivered a masterclass in throwing the ball. He finished with 354 yards with an 86.5% completion percentage.
He is only the 10th NFL QB ever to throw for 350+ yards and an 85%+ completion percentage. Needless to say, the offense isn’t the concern; the defense let up 31 points to a Jacksonville team without wide receiver Christian Kirk, and only three full quarters of Quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
With key defensive players, like Cam Taylor-Britt, out on injury, the defense has more holes for an offense to exploit. Going forward, it is up to the young players to fill the holes in the roster: safety Jordan Battle, cornerback DJ Turner, and edge rusher Myles Murphy are all stepping into starting roles.
According to the New York Times, the Bengals have a 10% chance of making the playoffs. The Bengals have a very winnable schedule, with games versus the Colts, Vikings, Steelers, and Browns.
The most challenging game on the remaining schedule will be on New Year’s Eve against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, if the Bengals continue to execute at the level they did on Sunday night, this season should not be a waste.