Bengals Locker Room Didn’t Sugarcoat Losing Joe Burrow While Clearing Stance on Jake Browning

The Bengals are now 2-0 this season by claiming a narrow victory by 31-27 against the Jaguars. While they should be celebrating after yesterday’s victory, it didn’t really feel like a real win for them. The vibe in the locker room was a little off. That is because the Bengals’ star QB Joe Burrow left the game with a left toe injury in the second quarter. Although veteran QB Jake Browning took over and left everyone impressed, the Bengals’ locker room, especially center Ted Karras and offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., clearly showed their disappointment and concern for Burrow after the game.

“Trying to change the narrative around here about our unit, best player in the world goes down in the second quarter … casts a pall over the whole day, really,” Karras said. Brown Jr. described the feeling as “sick” as he watched Burrow go down. The whole stadium went silent when they saw Burrow entering the Blue medical tent.

“Anytime he has to miss time, miss games or snaps, it’s never a good feeling,” Brown Jr. said. It is the first time in the Zac Taylor era that the Bengals are 2-0; still, the locker room was numb. “I wish I was more excited,” Karras said and then summed up the mood in the locker room perfectly: “That casts kind of a touch of gray on the day.”

Before he got hurt, Burrow was looking solid. 7 out of 13 passes for 76 yards, with a touchdown pass to WR Ja’Marr Chase. Things were going well until that sack by Eric Armstead midway through, with 8:36 remaining in the second quarter. Armstead tackled Burrow by his right ankle, leaving him struggling to get up. After that, he couldn’t get back on the field. He needed help just to get to the locker room, and later, he was seen on crutches with a walking boot. According to online reports, he is expected to be out for 11 games or even more. The reports also suggest that he might need surgery and could miss at least three months of football.

If Burrow undergoes surgery, it would be the third major surgery in his six NFL seasons. He had an ACL surgery in 2020 and a wrist surgery in 2023. Regarding the team going ahead, Jake Browning will be handling quarterback duties until Burrow returns from the injury setback, and the Bengals will need to figure out how to sustain their early-season momentum till then.

What is the team expecting from Jake Browning?

The circumstances allowed Cincinnati’s veteran backup quarterback, Jake Browning, to step in and take charge. With Burrow’s comeback being uncertain, the responsibility to take the team forward now falls on Browning. “We’ve got a lot of confidence in (Browning),” head coach Zac Taylor said afterward. “The players do. The players played for him. We have trust that he’s gonna figure out a way… He just went out there cool, calm, and collected. Did his job.” 

“Jake has a great relationship with all his teammates,” Karras said. “Very underrated leader in this locker room and a guy that I love and respect very much. Really happy for him. I don’t like having to exercise that depth, but that’s where we sit right now.” Browning also gave a promising performance during the game that filled the Bengals camp with hopes. He threw for 241 yards, completed 21 of 32 passes, tossed two TDs, and ran in the winning score with 18 seconds left. He had three picks but made clutch plays, like hitting WR Tee Higgins with a 42-yard touchdown.

The main highlight of Browning’s performance was that final 92-yard drive that sealed the win. Bengals fans loved his fighting spirit and late-game heroics for sure. He had a solid pre-season with the Bengals, where he earned a spot as the reliable backup quarterback, and now he has the opportunity to become the best backup in the NFL and man the ship till Burrow returns.