Cincy Jungle
When it comes to the Joe Burrow era with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Minnesota Vikings play a prominent role in the beginning stages. It was the Vikings who the Bengals beat 27-24 in Week 1 of the 2021 season, Burrow’s first game from a torn ACL, when Burrow completed a gutsy fourth-down pass in the final minute of overtime to set up a game-winning field goal by rookie kicker Evan McPherson. That was also the game where Ja’Marr Chase caught his first career touchdown pass.
In Week 15 of the 2023 season, Jake Browning, starting for Burrow while being sidelined with a wrist injury, led the Bengals back from a 17-3 deficit to a 27-24 win in overtime. Browning’s 3rd&9 completion to Tyler Boyd in overtime set up McPherson’s game-winning field goal.
Browning was cut by the Vikings early in his career. Now, he has the opportunity to beat them again. This time, it would come in Minneapolis.
This will be the Bengals’ first game without Joe Burrow this season, who had successful toe surgery on Friday after sustaining a turf toe injury in the Bengals’ Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The hope is that Burrow can return in December. Until then, Browning is more than ready to lead this Bengals team to where they want to go this season.
The 2025 Bengals have a roster that is built to win in the Playoffs. They’re built to compete for a Lombardi Trophy. Sunday, we’ll see if Jake Browning can keep them in that conversation for the next three months.
Let’s look at Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz and four other key players to watch on the Vikings on Sunday.
If you’re wondering where Carson Wentz has been since his 2020 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, he’s been in a lot of places. The Vikings are, actually, his fifth team in the last five seasons.
Last year, Wentz was with the Kansas City Chiefs and made one start. Bengals fans remember that one start well… for all the wrong reasons. It was in Week 18 when the Chiefs played at the Denver Broncos. If the Chiefs, who were resting most of their starters, had won, the Bengals would have been in the Playoffs. Unfortunately, the Chiefs were shutout 38-0 with Wentz not getting the offense going whatsoever.
Wentz is not the player he was in 2017, when he was named a Pro Bowler and was a front-runner for the NFL MVP. Ever since his knee injury in Week 14 that season, he’s never been the same quarterback. He played full seasons in 2019 and 2021, throwing for over 3,500 yards in both seasons, but he’s bounced around the league since 2021 and hasn’t found any stable starting quarterback job since.
This is a former No. 2 overall draft pick back in 2016 who has played a lot of football in the NFL and his entire career....
