Jake Browning relieves the injured Joe Burrow and scores late TD as Bengals beat Jaguars 31-27

CINCINNATI (AP) – Jake Browning and the Cincinnati Bengals turned a nightmarish first half – including an injury to Joe Burrow – into a dream finish.

Browning relieved Burrow and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard sneak with 18 seconds remaining to give the Bengals a 31-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and their first 2-0 start since 2018.

Burrow suffered a left toe injury in the first half and did not return. He left the locker room on crutches and with a boot on his foot, an ominous sign that the Bengals may be without their franchise quarterback for a while.

“It’s a touch of gray on the day. Won the game, very happy for that but I’m sure people are concerned,” center Ted Karras said.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he didn’t have an update on Burrow’s injury.

“Resilient group that found a way. It feels like that’s what this year is turning into already,” Taylor said. “You know, just a group that believes in each other and never flinches, even when things are difficult.”

Browning threw three interceptions, but also accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing). Cincinnati scored on four of the eight drives he led, none more important than the last.

The Bengals 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 flare to running back 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. The call moved the ball to the Jaguars 42 with 1:49 remaining.

“I had thrown three picks, and somehow we had a chance to win the game,” said Browning, who completed 21 of 32 passes for 241 yards. “I can’t be afraid of the fourth in that situation. The defense did a good job forcing a turnover on downs, so I had to be delusional and aggressive, because the moment called for it.”

On the sneak, Karras and Browning said they knew the Jaguars were trying to go low, which created the opportunity for him to lunge over the goal line.

Burrow was 7 of 13 for 76 yards and a touchdown before the injury. 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.

“You think you’re on the sideline then you’re thrown in. That creates an emotional jump. You try to ride that wave and operate,” Browning said.

The Bengals trailed 17-10 at halftime.

“We found ourselves in an offensive nightmare. I credit everyone for digging ourselves and not just folding in because that could have easily happened,” Karras said.

Browning’s 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.

The Jaguars converted only one of their three interceptions into a touchdown.

First-year coach Liam Coen said of his late fourth-down decision: “That’s a 100 percent a ‘Go.'”

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

“I think overall, we showed we can make plays. Just the consistency piece is lacking at times. Not shooting ourselves in the foot. That’s still showing up. It’s something we have to correct,” Lawrence said.

Ja’Marr Chase, who had only two catches for 26 yards in last week’s opener at Cleveland, 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.

Chase said Browning’s first interception was his fault after he cut the route short.

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.

“I thought he was getting us in and out of the right things and made a lot of good throws,” Coen said about Lawrence. “We can win with him playing like that and limiting the turnovers.”

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 Jarrian 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.

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.

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.