Bengals Backup QB Jake Browning Accomplished Historical Rarities in Comeback Win Against Jaguars

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals backup quarterback Jake Browning rallied the team for a 31-27 victory after starter Joe Burrow went down with a turf toe injury that will require surgery and shelve him for at least three months.

Browning completed 21 of 32 passes for 241 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in addition to a game-winning 1-yard scoring leap with 19 seconds to go for a 31-27 victory against the Jaguars.

Despite the uneven nature, it was an impressive performance by Browning.

It also was historic.

Browning became the first non-starting quarterback in 15 years to enter the game with his team trailing, throw at least interceptions and still win the game.

The last quarterback to do it was Vikings’ Tarvaris Jackson in 2010.

Jackson did it in Week 13, 2010, after Minnesota starter Brett Favre suffered a shoulder injury after throwing just one pass.

Jackson came in with the Vikings trailing 7-0 and completed 15 of 22 passes for 187 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, leading his team to an easy 38-14 victory against the Bills.

 Additionally, Browning became the sixth quarterback since 2000 to score a 1-yard, go-ahead touchdown while trailing in the final minute of the game.

Remarkably, four of those six instances have come against the Jaguars.

The last quarterback to do it was Ben Roethlisberger in a 26-21 victory against Jacksonville in 2018.

The other instances:

Jameis Winston in 2015 to lead the Buccaneers to a 10-6 win against the Cowboys.

Peyton Manning in 2006 to lead the Colts to a 31-28 victory against the Jets.

David Carr in 2003 in a 24-20 Texans victory against the Jaguars.

And Steve McNair in 2001 as the Titans beat Jacksonville 28-24.

With Sunday’s win, Browning owns three game-winning drives in just 13 career games.

The active leader in game-winning drives is Matthew Stafford with 38. He didn’t get his third until his 16th game.

Two of Browning’s three game-winning drives have come against the Jaguars, with the first coming in overtime in 2023.

The other was against Minnesota, also in overtime in 2023.

Browning’s first game at starter in 2025?

Against the Vikings, the team that signed him as a free agent in 2019 and cut him in 2021, leading to his arrival in Cincinnati.