What a wild ride it was at Paycor Stadium on September 14, 2025! The Cincinnati Bengals delivered a thriller for the ages, overcoming adversity, injury, and intense heat to secure a dramatic 31-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. But the win came with a heavy dose of concern, as star quarterback Joe Burrow exited in the second quarter with a left toe injury, leaving the Bengals and their fans anxiously awaiting news on his prognosis.
Burrow, who had already thrown a 4-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Marr Chase and completed seven of 13 attempts for 76 yards, went down with 8:36 left in the first half. The moment was tense—Burrow was sacked by Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead for a 5-yard loss, limped to the sideline, and soon after was seen leaving the locker room on crutches with a boot on his left foot. The Bengals, not taking any chances, quickly sought second opinions on the injury. An MRI was performed, and while the most optimistic outlook is that Burrow could avoid surgery and return after at least four games on injured reserve, the possibility of a three-month absence looms if surgery is required. As of Sunday night, no final determination had been made, and Burrow was not available for postgame interviews, leaving the city of Cincinnati holding its breath.
"We had such a tight game, I don’t have all of the information right now," head coach Zac Taylor told reporters after the game, offering little reassurance but reflecting the uncertainty hanging over the team.
The Bengals have seen their franchise quarterback deal with serious injuries before—a knee injury cost him six games in his rookie season, and a wrist injury last year sidelined him for the final seven contests. But if Bengals fans have learned anything, it’s that this team knows how to rally. And rally they did.
Enter Jake Browning. The backup quarterback, who’d previously gone 4-3 as a starter during Burrow’s 2023 absence, took the reins once more. Browning’s performance wasn’t perfect—he threw three interceptions—but it was gutsy and ultimately victorious. He completed 21 of 32 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns, including a 42-yard strike to Tee Higgins late in the third quarter. But it was Browning’s poise on the final drive that stole the show. Down by three with less than two minutes left, Browning orchestrated a 92-yard, 15-play march capped by a leaping 1-yard quarterback sneak into the end zone with just 18 seconds remaining. The stadium erupted.
Reflecting on his mindset during the game-winning drive, Browning said, "Be delusional. I had thrown three picks, and somehow we had a chance to win the game. I can't be afraid of the fourth in that situation. The defense did a good job forcing a turnover on downs, so I had to be delusional and aggressive, because the moment called for it." According to Browning, even Burrow managed a brief congratulatory word, telling him, "Good job," despite dealing with the injury.
Wide receiver Tee Higgins, who hauled in that crucial 42-yard touchdown, wasn’t the only Bengals pass-catcher making history. Ja'Marr Chase turned in a monster performance, notching 14 receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown—his most catches and yards in a game since Week 14 of last season. Chase’s 20th career 100-yard receiving game tied him with Bengals Ring of Honor member Isaac Curtis for the third-most in franchise history, trailing only A.J. Green and Chad Johnson. During an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive in the first quarter, Chase also reached the 400-career-receptions milestone, tying Julio Jones and Jarvis Landry as the fifth-fastest player in NFL history to do so. His touchdown catch was the 47th of his career, and he now has 12 games with 10 or more receptions.
Chase’s confidence in his backup quarterback was unwavering. "We've been here before with Jake. We've got to let him be himself at the end of the day. We've all got to push him to be better, push us to be better and just execute," Chase told reporters, highlighting the team’s belief in their depth and resilience.
The Bengals’ defense also stepped up in big moments. Dax Hill, now playing cornerback, intercepted Trevor Lawrence in the end zone with 4:52 left in the opening quarter, marking his third career pick. Jordan Battle, meanwhile, recorded his second interception of the season midway through the second quarter, setting up a 31-yard Evan McPherson field goal. According to head coach Zac Taylor, "Our defense has created a feeling that a turnover can come at any moment. That's just what they've established at this point...There's a real feeling that these turnovers are going to come in bunches for us because our guys train it. They found a way to find the ball and we just have to keep it up."
The offensive fireworks didn’t stop there. Preseason standout Mitchell Tinsley caught his first career regular-season pass in spectacular fashion—a one-handed touchdown grab early in the third quarter to tie the game at 17. The Bengals’ special teams also contributed, with Samaje Perine returning six kickoffs for 154 yards, averaging a robust 25.7 yards per return.
On defense, Trey Hendrickson notched his 59th sack as a Bengal, tying him for fifth-most in franchise history. The Bengals’ pass rush and opportunistic secondary kept the Jaguars in check, while the offense capitalized on turnovers and big plays.
The game itself was played under sweltering conditions—kickoff temperature was a balmy 84 degrees, the fourth-hottest in Paycor Stadium history. But the heat didn’t keep fans away. The announced attendance was 65,871, marking the 25th consecutive regular-season home game with at least 65,000 fans in the seats, the longest such streak in Bengals history.
For a team that hadn’t started 2-0 since 2018, the victory was a milestone. "We have not gone 2-0 since (I've) been here. We're going to learn from this, but at the same time, I'm going to enjoy this, and it's important to recognize that. It's always better to learn from a win than from a loss," linebacker Logan Wilson said, capturing the mood in the locker room.
As the Bengals prepare for a daunting stretch of five consecutive games against last year’s playoff teams, all eyes will be on Joe Burrow’s recovery. The franchise’s hopes rest on the outcome of his medical evaluations, but Sunday’s win proved that Cincinnati’s heart, depth, and determination are as strong as ever. With Jake Browning at the helm and the defense playing with swagger, the Bengals have shown they’re ready for whatever comes next—no matter how tough the road may be.
