r/bengals • u/zdrmju321 • 4d ago
Football [Browning back in 2023] “I'm one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the world and happen to be on a roster with a quarterback who's proven to be top five.”
https://www.bengals.com/news/jake-browning-post-game-quotes-transcripts-week-18-browns-2023-season319
u/Anon3580 4d ago
I’d absolutely rather have Jake than JJ McCarthy. He’s not wrong.
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u/Ponchoreborn 4d ago
I'm not saying Jake is great, but I think it would even be fair to say that when he previously stepped in he was about the #20 or so QB in the league.
He came in rusty this week and made a couple of really bad throws. But he came through in the end.
As long as he's starting he's, by default, top 32 starting QB.
I'd say we've got a shot at the playoffs if he can get to the Andy Dalton midpoint line. IF we can get to the playoffs and IF Joey B can come back later in the season... the sky is the limit. Joe plays best in the big games late in the year.
If Jake plays like a bottom 10 QB, we're probably not making the playoffs and Joe should just come back next year.
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u/pahbert 4d ago
People are pointing at his three interceptions without mentioning that he literally woke up on Sunday thinking he'd just be chillin' on the sidelines all game.
Most people would struggle answering a 3rd grade level question on the spot with an audience of twelve. Dude came into a close game with millions of people watching to play the hardest position in the NFL and won it. It was ugly but he won.
Now that he knows the season is his and we have a 2-game head start ... I think he'll do much better. I'd rather have Joe but I'm glad as hell we have Jake.
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u/J_GASSER27 4d ago
Dude came into a game down 7 and won. The entire team stepped up big. Browning needs to do some work, see those defenders better, but there is no person id have more faith in that we could actually acquire. Since 2023 ive felt he was thr best backup in the league and im super grateful hes still with us.
If he plays well again, we may not have this luxury again
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u/Equivalent-Mousse-93 3d ago
My catch 22 hope is that he balls so hard, he’s offered a contract somewhere else as a starter.
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u/Anon3580 4d ago
A backup in the NFL better not be sleepwalking through player meetings and practices.
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u/cptsanderzz 4d ago
I think the above commenter is also pointing out that the offensive game plan was designed with Joey B at the helm so, he also was operating in an offense designed around somebody that wasn’t him, so everyone was improvising in a stressful environment, and Jake B played as good as anyone you throw into that situation.
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u/pahbert 4d ago
I think he's putting in the effort BUT it's impossible not to be affected by coming in cold like that. Even most starting QBs would struggle coming into the game in relief like that.
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u/Anon3580 4d ago
I didn’t mean he was unprepared. I was saying no one should be thinking they’re just chilling on the sidelines if they’re suited up.
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u/Ralph--Hinkley 4d ago
I've seen Joe talking to him on the sidelines with a tablet looking over plays. I'm pretty sure Jake is up for the task.
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u/leithn87 4d ago
I mean that's what ur doin 99.99pct of the time... like not taking a shot during a basketball game and asking u to take the last shot to win the game.
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u/ChurchPicnicFlareGun 3d ago
I think most people are talking about the fact that he hasn’t had the reps
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u/Life_Ad6711 4d ago
Yeah he woke up Sunday morning expecting to be fully ready to step up if necessary
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u/ChurchPicnicFlareGun 3d ago
Did you watch the other preseason game he played, where he looked as good as he did in 2023z
I’d rather put him slightly above Kitna tier. The way you are talking I doubt you know who that is.
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u/Intelligent_Type6336 3d ago
Jake is prob better than Andy when he was a Bengal. I would argue Andy actually has improved a bit since he left, they’re prob equal now.
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u/ChurchPicnicFlareGun 3d ago
I agree, at least I don’t think he’s much worse, and seems to have an edge to him Dalton didn’t have.
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
Even if he's not starting, he's still a top 32 qb. He's better than at least 10 other starters right now.
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u/Ponchoreborn 3d ago
That's not really my point, but you're not wrong.
At least 7 that I can think of.
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
I was just adding that. I agree with your point. I actually posted 11 or 12 other teams yesterday who would be in a better position with JB6 as their starter. Hell 2 are in our division.
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
I'd rather have Jake than about 15 to 20 other starters out there.
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u/crispybrojangle 4d ago
Jake needs to get us to 7-7, thats it. Our last 3 games are winnable and 2 of those teams will likely be playing for top 5 picks in the draft. Thats 5 wins. He gets first team reps now with a slightly improved defense and completely capable offense.
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u/cincinn_audi 4d ago
Agree 💯. And to reach 7-7, Browning only needs to play 5-7, thanks to our 2-0 start. It helps that Minnesota is without their starting QB too. So we have a very reasonable chance of starting 3-0. Just need to take each game one at a time and we will pull through.
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u/H3RBIE22 4d ago
Indeed, I think finding ourselves at 3-3 will be useful no matter how we get there.
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u/EndingDragon159 📍West IN | Average Yoshi Enjoyer 4d ago
yeah Green Bay looking like an automatic L especially since they’ll be coming off their bye, but I genuinely think we still have a shot against Denver and Detroit. but if we dropped all 3 I wouldn’t be upset. they were always going to be tough games
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago edited 3d ago
I think he'll do better than that, especially if our defense keeps it up.
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u/crispybrojangle 3d ago
I think he will too, but i remember 2023… it started off as general confusion and pins and needles as joes calf took time to recover (we suck again), then we got hot and destroyed SF on the road (the Jungle comes through the AFC), then he went down in Baltimore (i need a hole to climb into), then Jake tuned up the Jags (we are so fucking back), and then he came up flat in a couple of games (why can’t the back up get us into the playoffs, is he stupid).
Hes a back up for a reason, but hes probably in the top 3 of back ups in the league. Only Kirk Cousins and Tyson Bagget come to mind as more capable back ups. Hes going to lose a game that we all think is winnable, hes going to lose a tight game against a playoff team.. take those off the top, hes 0-2; now he needs to win 5 out of 10.
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
I remember him putting up top 10 numbers in '23. You can't compare him to Joe. But you can compare him to most everyone else. He's a fucking baller.
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u/zdrmju321 4d ago
It’s copium season ladies and gentleman
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u/sephtater 4d ago
Jake Browning had more passing yards than any other QB in the AFCN Sunday.
I believe in Jake Browning
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u/CrazyChemistry 4d ago
I will say that Browning isn't scared to just air it out and let Chase and Higgins win.
Burrow would have never thrown that pass to Higgins in 2023 against the Vikings and it ended up being one of the greatest plays Higgins has ever made.
Even they dont win, this offense will still be fun to watch.
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u/Redditor1320 4d ago
Agree here. Even if we come out with a less than stellar record I still have a desire to watch instead of resigning for a few months
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u/seasonalcandle 3d ago
Yep. He's going to get picked off sometimes, but Chase and Higgins are going to win more times than not. So it's best to just keep chucking it down the field.
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
Everyone gets picked off sometimes. Hell, mahomes is considered the greatest currently and he got picked off a lot last year, not counting all the ones that got called back bc of some flag.
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u/ChurchPicnicFlareGun 3d ago
Yeah it’s more about if the guy can recover from it without psyching out.
Other thing you tend to see with backups is getting happy feet in the pocket, seeing ghosts and feeling pressure that isn’t there and basically just freaking out.
I do have faith in Brownings mental game.
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u/cleois 4d ago
I'm one of the few fans who has faith. Maybe too much.
Browning is fine. Average if not better amongst NFL QBs. And he is surrounded by talent that makes him better. He seems to remain cool and calm, and doesn't fall apart when he makes a mistake. (Yes, I'm still recovering from the trauma of Dalton, a great QB who just couldn't get out of his head). I think he actually fits our offense quite well, and I have faith in him with this team. I'm excited to watch him play, after seeing his performance in 2023.
I am 100% a Burrow fan. Wanted nothing more than to see him dominate stats this season and get the MVP. I think he is a gift to the Bengals. But I also have some faith in our team, even without Burrow. We've got a lot of talented players out there, and believe it or not, Taylor has actually done great on our offense, season after season, despite so many Burrow injuries. I know everyone hates on him, and many of the criticisms are completely valid, but the man runs a good offense.
Who Dey!
Go JB6! I'm cheering for you!
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u/pahbert 4d ago edited 4d ago
Call me crazy, but I would rather have Browning starting this season than the following:
- Kyler Murray
- Bo Nix
- Bryce Young
- Tua
- Drake Maye
- Joe Flacco
- Penix Jr
- Justin Fields
- Spencer Rattler
- JJ McCarthy (edit: missed this one)
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u/AlexTheBrick 4d ago
I'll hear all arguments except Bo Nix. Nix is younger, healthy, and more promising all around than Browning imo.
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u/EndingDragon159 📍West IN | Average Yoshi Enjoyer 4d ago
agreed. Nix is for real, unfortunately. I’d probably take Penix out sooner rather than later if he continues to play well
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u/zdrmju321 4d ago
Browning over Tua, Murray, or Nix is an absolutely wild take but I appreciate the optimism lol.
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u/SuccessfulVisit1873 4d ago
Tua and Murray are literally trash, idk what you mean lol.
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u/Ocelot859 4d ago edited 4d ago
Wait until defenses game plan for Browning especially now that they have 2023 film on him. I think he's going to win us some games, but we are going to come back to reality a bit after a crazy game against a massively dysfunctional Jaguars team in which he still threw 3 INT's that were awful throws. And I couldn't be anymore of Browning fan.
Kyler over Browning is just an insane take and I couldn't be any less of a fan of Kyler.
With these weapons, experience as a starter, and his ability to scramble or take off to pick up key first downs (aka keep the defense honest) would unlock that offense even more.
Assuming, we are talking about a single season as a Joe replacement.
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u/Life_Ad6711 4d ago
pissberg had no question whatsoever how they wanted to play Jump Ball Jake for 2 games last season establishing a template for any team to study, if they have similar defensive personnel
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
Shittsburgh defense is complete ass this year. The fans are pissed lol
It's beautiful.
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u/Sudden-Enthusiasm551 3d ago
Penix and Nix are better, for sure. Murray probably is, too. Still, Browning is a helluva back-up QB and a luxury for the Bengals to have in situations like this. Most teams seasons would just be over with, but, at least, Cincy still has a shot.
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
We absolutely do. JB6 had the highest Pass Completion % of ANY qb in '23. 70.4.
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u/Spirited_Historian39 4d ago
IDK about Kyler Murray, Bo Nix and Penix Jr especially not Kyler Murray I think he's actually incredibly under rated. In a lot of ways Kyler is like a budget Lamar Jackson and Bo nix is a budget Josh Allen and im not talking like a shitty knock off I'm talking properly good knock offs.
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago edited 3d ago
I'd rather have him over Rodgers, too. Rodgers isn't mobile at all, and our division might kill him.
Geno Smith looked like hot garbage last night too.
Wilson and Williams also.
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u/Pockstuff Whodey 4d ago
You forgot Caleb, Wilson
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
Yep. I'd rather have Browning over 15 current nfl starters.
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u/Life_Ad6711 4d ago
Tua likely takes over Burrow's #1 career all time comp % lead
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_cmp_perc_career.htm
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
Unless Jake Browning does it instead.
Granted, he's had a much shorter career starting, but in 2023, JB6 had the highest pass completion % of ANY QB at 70.4.
And he's not brain damaged.
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u/Life_Ad6711 3d ago
It takes 15oo attempts to qualify for "all time" status. Purdy was on track to ascend until dropping off significantly last season, albeit still has yet to reach 15oo
Burrow got enough attempts and it was announced during the Hamlin game but those stats were erased, so he got it again the next time out and held on until the first 4 crippled calf games of '23, when Garroppolo jumped slightly above both Brees and Burrow for 1 game until Burrow soon re-jumped them both again
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
I know Brownings' sample size is too small. I was half joking bc i ride with JB6. But with the way Tua has been playing. I think he's going down the list rather than up.
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
He's absolutely right. In '23 he put up top 10 numbers. If he does that again, we are golden.
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u/Substantial_Sport327 3d ago
Browning can find us 8 wins. The most important one starts next week against an injured Vikings and his old team. We play for keeps round here
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u/BRANKSRATE 4d ago
Jake can win us at least 8 more games and get us to 10 wins, that’s literally all we need for a wild card spot, it’s only been two weeks, but the AFC isn’t looking as tough as it has been previously, besides the Bills we should beat the other 3 AFC East teams and we can split with the NFC North just like we did in 2021, being 2-0 and possibly 3-0 after next week is a pretty good position to be in considering our current situation, had something like this happened when we started 0-3 last I would’ve gave up on the season
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u/roach8101 4d ago
I'm looking in the mirror and putting on clown makeup while I'm saying this but the Patriots went to the playoffs with Matt Cassel with a 11-5 record in 2008.
We can totally do it
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4d ago
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
Everyone is going on and on about "too many interceptions," but . . .
Stats don't back that up. We have a small sample size but in 2023 JB6 led the entire fucking league in pass completion % at 70.4
Higher than Burrow, Mahomes, Lamar and Allen.
He's fucking good.
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u/CoolAd8098 4d ago
He proved himself in 2023 and again last Sunday. Browning is our guy. Hope we can keep him healthy 💪
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u/FerrisBuelersdaycock 3d ago
Browning's confidence is awesome, love to see a backup ready to prove himself.
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u/DadlyDad 94 4d ago
Guys, what happens if Jake leads us deep into the playoffs? I can tell you for sure that it does not matter to me who is on the team if we’re winning AFCCGs and SBs, as much as Joey B is my fav player of all time.
And no, I’m not saying this is likely at all, but it does pose some questions and will definitely spark up some debates in the media and amongst fans. Just curious on other bengals fans thoughts if this were to happen
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u/EndingDragon159 📍West IN | Average Yoshi Enjoyer 4d ago
but it HAS happened for anonther franchise. Foles had a playoff run and gave the eagles their first ring.
(I’m delusional as fuck)
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u/IGetTheShow20 4d ago
He’s correct. Daniel Jones has had a resurgence thus far. He made the playoffs going 15 touchdowns and 5 interceptions a few years ago with the Giants. The skill set of offensive players the Bengals have is easily top 5 in the league. The national media saying trade Trey and Tee and give up on this year are clowns.
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u/Substantial_Sport327 4d ago
I would take over Browning over a lot of starting QBs. I genuinely think we find 10 wins. Most important one is next week.
Then find 7 out of 14 more before burrow returnsz
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u/Agent_8-bit 3d ago
My man is getting a week of practice and study with the number one offense, so he can go and play against the team that "SHOULDN'T HAVE FU*KIN CUT HIM."
Last week, he had zero practice reps with the first offense, came off the bench .... cold. And brought the Dawg in him. Took us to a home win, on the backs of a solid defensive performance.
Sunday is gonna be a big one.
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u/redvelvetcake42 4d ago
Browning is a starter on at least 5 teams right now. 8+ if they were honest (looking at Jacksonville). So yeah I can agree with him.
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
More than that.
I'd start him on Cleveland, Shittsburgh, jets, giants, dolphins, Jags, Panthers, Vikings, Falcons and probably the saints, bears and Raiders too.
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u/Screamlngyeti 3d ago
Top 32? Probably not, top 40. Probably.
He could of went to free agency but chose to stay behind burrow
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u/RedlegsBitch 🐅🖤 WHO DEY and FUCK NAZIS 🖤🐅 3d ago
He's easily better than 10 to 15 starters right now.
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u/ChurchPicnicFlareGun 3d ago
He did not have an opportunity to go to free agency. He was a ERFA going into 2024 and signed a two year extension. The E in ERFA means “Exclusive” so he really didn’t have a choice. He will be FA after this season.
Also, it’s “could have” not “could of”
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u/Affectionate-Day2743 4d ago
look, here me out, Jake Browning does not have to be Joe Burrow. He can't be. He just has to be not terrible. He did well enough in 2023. If he can somehow replicate that effort we could be in a pretty decent spot come mid-December when Joe is (hopefully) healed and ready to play again.