(Jacksonville) Jake Browning threw for 354 yards and a touchdown in his second career start and the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-31 in overtime on Monday.
Browning also had a major on the ground for the Bengals (6-6), who won the Monday night game for the first time since 1990 by virtue of Evan McPherson’s victorious 48-yard field goal.
The defeat could be particularly costly for the Jaguars (8-4), as quarterback Trevor Lawrence injured his right ankle in the fourth quarter.
Blocker Walker Little stepped on Lawrence’s ankle, which twisted when the quarterback was sacked. Lawrence tried to get up, but he collapsed to the ground, took off his helmet and threw it away in a gesture of disgust.
Lawrence had so far completed 22 of 29 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns. He also reached the end zone once with his legs.
Lawrence injured his other leg against the Indianapolis Colts in mid-October. He has been playing with a left knee brace ever since. Despite everything, he never missed a game in three seasons in the NFL.
In relief of the injured Joe Burrow, Browning completed 32 of 37 relays and led the offensive sequence that led to McPherson’s field goal. The latter had sent a 57-yard field goal over the crossbar earlier in the game.
Jaguars backup quarterback CJ Beathard found his receivers nine times in 10 attempts for 63 yards. He allowed Brandon McManus to make a 40-yard field goal with 26 seconds left to tie the game.
Ja’Marr Chase caught 11 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown — a 76-yard play in the third quarter that got the Bengals going.
Joe Mixon ran for 68 yards and two majors, then rookie Chase Brown added 61 yards for the worst rushing attack in the NFL.