The Gossip

1-Jake Browning, a former University of Washington standout, showed signs of progress in a loss to Pittsburgh. On Monday night, he completed 32 of 37 passes for 354 yards and one touchdown, operating Zac Taylor’s offense efficiently. Browning earned every completion and earned his first start as a starter since his Husky days.

2-The Jaguars suffered a loss in a game against the Burrow-less Bengals, with Trevor Lawrence exiting with an ankle injury. The Jaguars struggled to stop the run and struggled to unsettle Browning. C.J. Beathard played well, but Lawrence’s injury left the air out of EverBank Stadium, leaving fans to wait for the severity of his injury.

3-Zac Taylor’s coaching style in Week 13 was successful in utilizing Browning’s strengths, emphasizing the run early to soften Jacksonville’s pass rush and allowing Browning time to operate. Taylor called for Browning to roll out of run fakes and find open targets, opening up the Bengals offense. Browning’s touchdown in the third quarter revealed the full capability of his offense, and despite intercepting a pass by Tyler Boyd, the Bengals remained resilient.

4-Jacksonville’s Week 13 loss to the Bengals left the team vulnerable to resurgence in the AFC South. The loss reduced Jacksonville’s lead to one game with five remaining games, creating a dynamic division with unpredictable results, especially if quarterback Lawrence is out. The loss could lead to disappointment by the end of the season.

5-The Bengals have found hope after losing to the Steelers and losing to Burrow, but Browning’s performance has given them confidence to compete in remaining games and potentially sneak into an AFC race. This confidence could be a dangerous reality for opponents, including Indianapolis, in Week 14.

Jake Browning completed all seven pass attempts over 10 air yards, becoming the 10th player in the Super Bowl era to throw for 350+ yards and a completion percentage of at least 85% in a regular season game.