'MNF' preview: Can Jake Browning lead a surprising upset over Jaguars?

The Jake Browning-led Cincinnati Bengals (5-6) will fight to keep their slim postseason hopes alive against a Jacksonville Jaguars team (8-3) vying for the AFC's top seed on "Monday Night Football." Here's what to watch when each team is on offense.

When the Bengals are on offense

Can Browning build on his first career start?: The former undrafted free agent made his first career start last week in place of the injured Joe Burrow and was solid against a formidable Pittsburgh Steelers defense, especially given the circumstances. Browning completed 73.1% of his passes for 227 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the 16-10 loss. 

Although he's dealing with a right wrist injury, Browning could be in line for another respectable performance since the Jaguars give up the fifth-most passing yards per game (269.4). 

WR Tee Higgins' return to the field: Fortunately for Browning, Higgins is set to return after missing the past three games with a hamstring injury. It's been a frustrating season for Higgins, who has missed four total games with injuries and has struggled to produce when healthy, in part due to Burrow's early-season calf issue. In seven games, Higgins has hauled in 27 passes for just 328 yards and two touchdowns.

The 24-year-old is in the final season of his rookie contract, and if he plays well down the stretch with Browning, his injury history may not have a substantial impact on his upcoming negotiations. 

Another disappointing game for RB Joe Mixon?: While Higgins' return should elevate the offense in some capacity, the Bengals will need their ground game to be effective to have a chance of upsetting Jacksonville. However, the Bengals have been the worst rushing team in the NFL on a yards-per-game basis (75.8), primarily because of Mixon's inefficiencies.

Mixon is averaging 56.5 rushing yards per game this season, the second-worst mark of his career, and only earned eight carries last week, resulting in a mere 16 yards. Considering Jacksonville allows the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game (87.4), it seems unlikely that Mixon can turn things around in this matchup. 

Josh Allen: The Jaguars were willing to wait on extending the former top-10 draft pick, and given how well he's performed, it may have been a mistake as he will now be much more expensive to re-sign. Allen has accounted for 12 of the Jaguars’ 24 sacks this season, which ranks him fifth in the NFL in that statistical category, and the pass-rusher has generated 60 pressures, the seventh-most in the league. 

Cincinnati's offensive line has struggled in pass protection as of late, allowing the fourth-most sacks over its last three games (13), potentially setting Allen up for another dominant outing. 

When the Jaguars are on offense

QB Trevor Lawrence is finding his stride: On the surface, Lawrence's stats suggest he's having an underwhelming season since he has only thrown for 2,746 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions, though his impact goes far beyond the box score. The former No. 1 overall pick has posted the eighth-highest expected points added among quarterbacks (54.8) and ninth-best QBR (61.7) this season. 

Lawrence has responded well to Jacksonville's embarrassing Week 10 blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers and is proving that the dreadful performance may not be an accurate reflection of his or his team's talent. Over his last two games, Lawrence has averaged 321.5 total yards of offense while throwing three touchdowns and adding three scores on the ground. 

Which version of WR Calvin Ridley can we expect?: Ridley's first season back in the NFL has been a mixed bag, but he's been on a tear recently, which may be attributed to Zay Jones' return from a knee injury. Interestingly enough, Jones' presence on the field appears to enhance Ridley's production significantly. 

In five games with Jones this season, Ridley has caught 29 passes for 447 yards and four touchdowns, compared to 18 receptions for 216 yards and one touchdown in six games without him.

Will TE Evan Engram be Jacksonville's biggest contributor?: Ridley and WR Christian Kirk should be heavily involved in the Jaguars' game plan, but the tight end Engram might have the best chance of success out of any pass-catcher. Engram has racked up 64 receptions for 524 yards this season and ranks as the third-most targeted tight end in the NFL (82). 

Cincinnati has struggled against tight ends throughout the season and has allowed 779 receiving yards to the position, the second-most among teams. 

DE Myles Murphy’s expanding role: Murphy, the 28th overall pick in April's draft, has played sparingly as a rookie, though has shown more promise with each passing week. Coming off the best game of his young career, during which he generated three pressures and collected his second sack of the season, Murphy appears set to take on a larger opportunity in Monday's contest.

Speaking to reporters last week, Bengals DC Lou Anarumo hinted that Murphy could get a "few more snaps" against the Jaguars, per WLWT's Charlie Clifford. 

Murphy wasn’t allowed to touch Lawrence when the two were teammates at Clemson, so the rookie pass-rusher is sure to relish the chance to do so now.