Bengals quarterback Jake Browning got his first taste of NFL regular season action in Week One of the regular season, but mopping up in a lopsided loss was a far different scenario than he faced on Thursday night.
The Bengals turned to Browning after Joe Burrow injured his wrist in the second quarter of their road game against the Ravens and that meant the quarterback’s first extended playing time would come against one of the league’s best defenses. A pass interference penalty helped the Bengals pick up three points to start the second half, but it was rough going until a late touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase made the final score 34-20 in Baltimore.
After the game, Browning said he has “borderline delusional” confidence in himself and that he felt comfortable running the offense despite the adverse circumstances.
“I didn’t feel like I was out of place or anything like that,” Browning said. “But I didn’t really feel that way coming in, either. I’ve had a lot of really good years on practice squads, waiting for an opportunity. If the opportunity continues going forward, I have a lot of confidence in myself and I think my teammates do too.”
Browning finished 8-of-14 for 68 yards and he ran four times for 40 yards. The Bengals host the Steelers next weekend and a loss with any quarterback would deal a big blow to their playoff hopes.