Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor endorsed quarterback Jake Browning on Wednesday after the fill-in put together back-to-back lackluster starts.
Cincinnati has scored 13 points in two games since Browning became the starter for injured star Joe Burrow (turf toe).
“I’ve got a ton of confidence in Jake,” Taylor told reporters. “I’m unwavering in that. I’ve seen the best of Jake. I know that we can do a great job supporting him to where he can go win games for us.”
Browning, 29, replaced Burrow in Week 2 and rallied the Bengals to a 31-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He threw two touchdowns but also was intercepted three times.
He was picked off two more times while passing for 140 yards and a touchdown – during a 48-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. Then on Monday night, the yardage dropped to 125 in a 28-3 setback against the Denver Broncos.
Overall, Browning has passed for 506 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions in 84 attempts.
Cincinnati offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher made it clear it isn’t all Browning’s fault.
“It seems like the boring answer, but it is true,” Pitcher said. “We’ve got to do everything around Jake to help him and then we need Jake’s best. We’ve seen Jake and what he can do when he is playing at his best and we’ve got to get him there.”
Browning filled in for Burrow for seven games in 2023 and completed a league-best 70.4 percent of his passes. He had 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Journeyman Brett Rypien is now Cincinnati’s backup quarterback. He has made four career starts since reaching the league as undrafted free agent in 2019 out of Boise State. Rypien made most recent start for the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 5, 2023.
Veteran Mike White (seven career starts) is on the team’s practice squad.