Jake Browning finally got his revenge for getting cut from the Minnesota Vikings roster. Cincinnati’s replacement for the injured Joe Burrow was instrumental in guiding the Bengals to a comeback win with his three consecutive touchdown drives.
After the game, he didn’t hide that being unceremoniously removed from the Vikings practice squad motivated him even more to exact his revenge on his former team. The victory over the Vikings on Saturday keeps the Bengals in the race for a playoff spot and hurts the Vikings’ chances of getting there even further.
Didn’t Know If He Had a Job or Not
Speaking after the game, Browning said that when he thought about how he left Minnesota, it wasn’t a memory he fondly recollected. The quarterback told the Bengals’ official website that the last time he was in Minnesota, he was told that the Vikings might have a spot for him on the practice squad, but that it was better for him to go to his hotel room and wait.
Browning did that, but the Vikings never got back to him. Instead, it was his agent who informed him that he was out of a job. The fact the Vikings didn’t feel it was important to directly speak to a player who was with them for two years made the cut quite painful for Browning. He admitted that despite being cut his fair share of times, the Minnesota cold shoulder was probably the worst one.
Took the Bull by the Horns
Fortunately for Browning, after leaving the Vikings, he landed in Cincinnati, where as fate would have it, star quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury, leaving Browning in charge of a high-octane offense capable of going toe to toe with the best in the league.
But the Vikings reject did more than just slot in for Burrow. He immediately swung into action and asserted himself as the leader of the Bengals’ offense, helping Cincinnati win in three of his four starts. Browning completed 29 of 42 passes for 324 yards on Saturday, with his 21-yard throw to Tee Higgins and the wide receiver’s subsequent effort near the goal line a particular highlight.
Browning Has another Score to Settle on Saturday
Cincinnati have now won three in a row, and with a record of 8-6, they can hope to finish in one of the playoff positions. However, they cannot afford to lose any of their remaining three games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs on the road and the Cleveland Browns at home.
And Browning is pretty focused on achieving that. The quarterback said that he played terribly against the Steelers the last time out and was feeling extra motivated to put in a much better performance this time around. With Browning having another score to settle, the Bengals must be feeling confident they will make it four wins out of four next Saturday.
