Joe Burrow turf toe: Who is Jake Browning, what does he bring, and who needs to step up for Bengals?

The Bengals' first 2-0 start since 2018 has come at a significant cost. Joe Burrow suffered a turf toe injury in Cincinnati's dramatic 31-27 comeback win over the Jaguars on Sunday, and he is expected to miss significant time.

Burrow's latest ailment adds to a long list of injuries. He missed seven games in 2023 after tearing a ligament in his right (throwing) wrist, an injury he suffered after dealing with a calf strain throughout training camp and the preseason. He has also dealt with various knee injuries -- including a torn ACL, MCL, PCL and meniscus that ended his rookie season -- and a pinkie dislocation as a pro.

As such, his backup, Jake Browning, has significant experience and has fared reasonably well in them. That includes Sunday's performance, when Browning overcame three interceptions to lead Cincinnati to a win, scoring the game-winning touchdown on a quarterback sneak with 18 seconds left.

Still, there's no doubting that this is a massive loss for the Bengals. Burrow was magnificent last season, finishing fourth in MVP voting even though the team missed the playoffs. His improvisation and accuracy are among the game's very best.

Joe Burrow injury: Bengals teammate can't help but be upset despite Cincinnati's first 2-0 start since 2018

John Breech

Browning is not that. But he is capable of keeping things afloat. Here's what to know about the Bengals' temporary starter:

Who is Jake Browning?

Browning, 29, spent four seasons at the University of Washington (2015-18). He is the Huskies' all-time leader in passing yards, completions and touchdown passes. He finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting as a sophomore in 2016, when he was also the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff.

After going undrafted in 2019, he started his NFL career with the Vikings, spending one season in Minnesota. He was not on a roster in 2020 and joined the Bengals practice squad ahead of the 2021 season. He has been with Cincinnati ever since.

Browning's lone significant stretch of play came in 2023, when Burrow missed the final seven games of the season. During his cameo, Browning led the NFL with a 70.4% completion percentage. He threw for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and Cincinnati went 4-3 during the stretch. Cincinnati rewarded him with a two-year deal during the 2024 offseason.

Browning appeared in three games last year, but he did not throw a pass.

Jake Browning play style

Arguably the biggest things the Bengals lose with Burrow's injury is negative play avoidance. Burrow manages tight pockets extremely well -- and there are plenty of tight pockets behind an uneven Bengals offensive line -- and takes very good care of the ball.

The interception rate reared its ugly head Sunday; the three picks against the Jaguars were forced balls into crowded areas downfield, though Ja'Marr Chase took responsibility for one.

Historically, the Bengals have tried to alleviate some of Browning's deficiencies (relative to Burrow) with short throws. Browning has thrown more than a quarter of his passes (25.6%) behind the line of scrimmage; Burrow was at only 17.7%. On Sunday against Jacksonville, Browning threw five passes behind the line of scrimmage, four of which went to Chase.

However, Browning is also willing to push the ball downfield. In fact, he has thrown 21+ yards downfield at a higher rate than Burrow. Here's one from Browning to Tee Higgins on Sunday.

Still, Browning's willingness to push the ball downfield has meant a tendency to put the ball in harm's way.

Browning is also similarly mobile to Burrow in terms of pure running ability -- he ran a respectable 4.74 40-yard dash -- and is willing to scramble when needed.

Burrow's consistency, though, is something Cincinnati will miss. He keeps Cincinnati on schedule. He can deliver precise, on-time passes and has tremendous chemistry with Chase and Higgins. Those things aren't easily replicable.

How does Jake Browning impact the Bengals' offense?

Chase has had some big performances alongside Burrow, including an 11-catch, 149-yard, one-touchdown performance against, coincidentally, the Jaguars in Browning's second career start. Overall, though, Chase has been targeted at a slightly lower rate with Browning compared to when he's alongside Burrow.

One aspect to watch, however, will be Chase's usage in the slot. In 2023, Chase played in the slot on about 25% of his snaps. That has jumped to 32% in the past two seasons, and we saw Browning getting the ball out quickly to Chase on Sunday on several occasions.

Overall, the bigger issue for Chase and Higgins is that there will be fewer plays to connect on the out-of-structure plays that make Burrow so special. If the past is any indication, Browning will get them the ball early and give them shots down the field, too. What Cincinnati will want to avoid is deep dropbacks and long-developing routes.

Chase Brown getting going on the ground would behoove Browning and, in turn, the Bengals' offense. After emerging last year, Brown is off to a bit of a slow start. Entering Sunday Night Football, only two qualified running backs who had played two games -- Dylan Sampson and Zach Charbonnet -- were averaging fewer yards per carry than Brown's 2.4. He's also averaging an abysmal 0.14 yards per carry before contact. The offensive line has to be much better.

It's worth watching how Browning's presence alters the very foundation of the offense. In 2023, Burrow was under center on just 8.4% of his snaps, the second-lowest rate in the league. Browning was at 23.9%, 21st in the league -- still not a high rate, but a significant jump. Cincinnati has consistently been a heavy shotgun team under Zac Taylor, but one of the best ways to get a quarterback easy throws is with under-center, play action plays. We'll see if Taylor and Co. lean back into that tendency.

What is the Bengals' upcoming schedule?

Browning won't find an easy landing spot. The Bengals head to the Vikings in Week 3, where Brian Flores' multifaceted defense awaits. Then there's a Monday Night Football visit to the Broncos, a home date with the Lions and a trip to the Packers, who might have the NFL's most fearsome defense through two weeks.

Burrow's exact return timeline, it should be noted, is still TBD. Also notable: Brett Rypien appears likely to become Browning's primary backup; Rypien is currently on the Bengals' practice squad.