Browning leads Bengals on game-winning drive with Burrow hurt

CINCINNATI (AP) — Jake Browning passed for 241 yards in relief of the injured Joe Burrow and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard sneak with 18 seconds remaining as the Cincinnati Bengals rallied for a 31-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday.

Burrow suffered a left toe injury in the first half and did not return, an ominous sign for the Bengals and their franchise quarterback.

The Bengals — 2-0 for the first time since 2018 — took over at their own 8 with 3:42 remaining after the Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence couldn't connect with Brian Thomas Jr. on fourth-and-5. Browning directed a 15-play, 92-yard drive on which he completed 9 of 12 passes for 65 yards, including a 13-yard strike to Chase Brown on fourth-and-3 at the 15.

Cincinnati also benefited from a pass-interference penalty on Jacksonville two-way rookie Travis Hunter on a fourth-down play at the Bengals 33.

Ja’Marr Chase had 14 receptions for 165 yards. The fifth-year Bengals wide receiver, who reached 400 career receptions during the first quarter, hauled in his first touchdown of the season on a 4-yard quick slant in the first quarter.

Burrow was 7 of 13 for 76 yards and a touchdown before being injured. The sixth-year quarterback left after he was sacked by Arik Armstead with 9:02 remaining in the second quarter. It was the Jaguars' second sack of Burrow.

Browning completed 21 of 32 passes with two touchdowns and three interceptions. His best throw was a 42-yard touchdown to Tee Higgins in the fourth quarter that made it 24-24. On third-and-5, Higgins got separation from Tyson Campbell and caught the ball at the Jacksonville 16. Campbell and teammate Andrew Wingard ran into each other at the 11, allowing Higgins to waltz into the end zone.

Trevor Lawrence completed 25 of 43 passes for 294 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for the Jaguars (1-1).

Up and down

It was a roller-coaster start for Lawrence, who alternated TD passes and picks on the Jags' first four drives.

Lawrence had TD passes to Dyami Brown and Brayshul Tuten on the Jaguars' first and third possessions. The 9-yard score by Brown marked the second straight week Jacksonville got points on its opening drive and Cincinnati allowed a touchdown.

Travis Etienne rushed for 71 yards and had a 11-yard touchdown catch with 4:08 remaining in the third quarter to put Jacksonville up 24-17.

Plenty of firsts

The Bengals tied it at 17-all on the first drive of the second half when Mitchell Tinsley made a one-handed grab over cornerback Jaarrian Jones in the right corner of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown.

Not only was it the first score of Tinsley's career, it was his first NFL catch.

Injuries

Jaguars: CB Jarrian Jones suffered a back injury in the first quarter but returned in the second.

Bengals: Rookie DE Shemar Stewart had a right ankle injury in the fourth quarter and did not return.

Up next

Jaguars: Host AFC South rival Houston next Sunday.

Bengals: At Minnesota next Sunday, the start of five straight games against teams that made the playoffs last season.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl