CINCINNATI — Trailing 17-3 late within the third quarter behind an offense that had struggled to maneuver the ball, the Bengals wanted Jake Browning to be almost good — and he was.
Browning led Cincinnati to 3 fourth-quarter touchdowns and directed the successful drive in extra time in his latest extraordinary efficiency since taking on for the injured Joe Burrow, and the Bengals beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 on Saturday to enhance their position within the playoff race.
Browning gained his third straight begin and improved to 3-1 since Burrow suffered a season-ending proper wrist harm in a loss at Baltimore. This time, he threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns within the fourth quarter and extra time, changing into the fourth QB in the past two years to throw for at the least that many yards and two or extra scores after three quarters.
Carolyn Kaster / AP
“I really feel like I want a beer,” stated Browning, who beat a group that lower him from its observe squad two years in the past.
Tee Higgins went excessive over a Vikings defender to catch a 16-yard cross from Browning and make a twisting move at the goal line for the tying touchdown with 39 seconds left in regulation.
Then, in extra time, a scrambling Browning discovered Tyler Boyd for a 44-yard completion that bought Cincinnati (8-6) into Vikings territory and arrange Evan McPherson’s game-ending 29-yard area purpose.
“Jake’s simply so regular, you realize?” Bengals coach Zac Taylor stated. “He actually is. He would not get rattled by a unfavourable play. He would not overreact to it.”
Browning was 29 for 42 for 324 yards with two touchdowns — both to Higgins — and an interception. He accomplished passes to 11 receivers and has a 110.9 passer rating in his 4 begins..
Nick Mullens, the fourth quarterback to begin a recreation this season for the Vikings, was stable in defeat. He passed for 303 yards with two TDs however threw two interceptions.
“An absolute grind of a soccer recreation,” Mullens stated. “But these are the varieties of video games you need to be in.”
Minnesota (7-7) has misplaced three of 4, the one win in that stretch a 3-0 determination at Las Vegas that led to Joshua Dobbs being benched in favor of Mullens, who had extra success discovering the Vikings’ playmakers.
Jordan Addison had six catches for 111 yards and two TDs. Justin Jefferson had seven receptions for 84 yards in his first full recreation since getting back from a hamstring harm. He suffered a chest harm within the Raiders recreation.
“Nick did a unbelievable job right now,” Jefferson stated. “Especially with only a week of preparation of him being the beginning quarterback. I really feel like he got here out right now with confidence.”
Backup Ty Chandler had a career-high 132 dashing yards and a landing for Minnesota. Chandler bought the beginning in place of Alexander Mattison, who has a sprained ankle.
With 5 groups a half-game behind them within the NFC standings, the Vikings might be out of playoff position by the tip of the weekend.
“Very unlucky,” Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell stated. “Come on the street and battle a group that is taking part in effectively proper now. Felt like we let one slip away.”
TAKE THAT
The Vikings let Browning go from their observe squad in 2021. The Bengals picked him up for his or her observe squad, and he gained the job as Burrow’s backup earlier than this season.
“I feel proper after we made the sector purpose and gained the sport, I screamed at digital camera and stated, ‘They by no means ought to have lower me,'” Browning stated.
LATE-GAME HEROICS
Browning took over the sport late within the third quarter, throwing seven straight completions throughout a 75-yard drive for the Bengals’ first landing, a 13-yard strike to Higgins.
On the Bengals’ subsequent possession, Browning hit Ja’Marr Chase for twenty-four yards to transform a third-and-21. Joe Mixon’s 1-yard TD run on fourth-and-goal tied the sport at 17-all.
Minnesota pushed again in entrance on Addison’s second TD catch of the sport earlier than Browning and Higgins discovered a solution to tie it.
Higgins completed with 4 catches for 61 yards.
“All I can say is, we at all times depend on Tee Higgins,” Taylor stated. “Tee stepped up large for us, and people had been two large touchdowns that he scored for us on the finish of the sport, and he additionally made some greater catches throughout the center at different factors.”
INJURIES
Bengals: DT DJ Reader suffered an harm to his proper leg early within the recreation and was declared out. … CB DJ Ivey left within the first quarter with a knee harm. … Chase went out with a shoulder harm within the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Vikings: Host Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 24.
Bengals: At Pittsburgh subsequent Saturday.
