CINCINNATI (AP) The Cincinnati Bengals are facing life without Joe Burrow. The first week didnt go so well.With a healthy Burrow, the Bengals won four straight games and were firmly back in the AFC playoff picture. Their star quarterback is now out for the season with a torn ligament in his throwing hand.On Sunday, quarterback Jake Browning made his first NFL start and completed 19 of 26 pa ses for 227 yards and an 11-yard touchdown to tight end Drew Sample in Yordan Alvarez Jersey Browning was sacked four times and picked off once. ADVERTISEMENT He did well. He can do better, though, Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase said. We had a lot of pre sures today. That was the biggest factor. We just needed to make some opportunities when Jeff Bagwell Jersey we got into the red zone and we didn't.The Bengals won two straight AFC North titles and an AFC championship with Burrow. They started this season 1-3 while Burrow played through a calf injury that caused him to mi s the preseason. With the calf healed, Burrow and the offense were flying. That's all changed now. On Sunday, the Bengals dropped to 5-6 0-4 in the division and their playoff hopes are dwindling by the week. Starting quarterbacks have gone down acro s the NFL this season, with Burrow joining Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones and Deshaun Watson among the injured.No ones sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. We've Preston Tucker Jersey got to pull ourselves up and we've got to just find a way to get wins coming down here in the stretch, and that starts Monday night (at Jacksonville). Browning has plenty of offensive talent around him. But the Bengals' running game has struggled to get going all season. Cincinnati rushed for 25 yards Sunday, averaging only 2.3 yards per attempt. I just know that we've got to be situationally sound," Taylor said. "We've got to win the turnover battle and cant have the penalties that we had today in order to win games.Browning was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings in 2019 and had spent the past two seasons on the Bengals practice squad. He went 8 of 14 for 68 yards and a TD last week after Burrow exited in the second quarter of a 34-20 lo Hector Rondon Jersey s to the Baltimore Ravens. I think starting with the first drive (I was) kind of getting settled, Browning said of his performance against Pittsburgh. Not up to my standards. I think just the overall experience I will build from. Being able Houston Astros Jersey to see myself on tape and critique it pretty hard will be good for me, too.The road for Browning and the Bengals won't get any easier. Following Monday's game against the Jaguars, the Bengals still have to play at Pittsburgh and Kansas City and host the Browns. I think we have a really good football team, Taylor said. Youre gonna hit stretches and you've got to find a way to overcome them and regroup. I told these guys Monday Night Football is the perfect opportunity to be able to put your best foot forward and change the narrative.___AP NFL:

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