Bengals veteran already looks finished just five weeks into season

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (6) fights a tackle as he scrambles in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. The Bengals continued a losing streak, falling 37-24 to the Lions.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (6) fights a tackle as he scrambles in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. The Bengals continued a losing streak, falling 37-24 to the Lions. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Bengals have several experienced players whose description befits this article's headline, but let's try not to dwell too much on that harsh reality. Outlooks are depressing enough as is across Who Dey Nation.

So while I could lambaste certain defensive players for the umpteenth time, or single out some underrated contributors to the team's ongoing disaster show, I'm going to dial in on one guy in particular.

Brings me no pleasure to do this. I've defended the man at every turn. But Joe Burrow's replacement, let's be honest, is drowning out there on the field. Enough is enough!

Jake Browning might've just torpedoed his NFL career after 3-start catastrophe

My helpful coworker Lior Lampert digitally penned a stellar article about how Jake Browning's QB1 status will be vanquished by the trade deadline once Cincinnati inevitably moves him or brings in a hopeful upgrade.

I would say Browning's timeline should be before then. Like, the Bengals must do something. Trade for anyone. OK not anyone, but he's already thrown more interceptions (8) in four games and three starts in 2025 than he did all of 2023 when he went 4-3 as a starter with 12 TDs and 7 INTs.

What happened to Jake the Snake? Dude can still wiggle. He was Cincinnati's leading rusher in Sunday's 37-24 loss to the Detroit Lions, which was 28-3 before garbage time. Something between the ears just ain't clicking anymore.

Like my guy, where is this ball going?

Cue the Conor McGregor trying to throw a football meme. All that delusional confidence, competitive fire, and chip on his shoulder that drove Browning to success two seasons ago and even helped him rally the troops to a Week 2 win over the Jaguars is all of a sudden nowhere to be found.

It's as if Browning ingested that Secret Stuff from Space Jam in '23, only to forget to this time around once he was thrust into duty post-Burrow's latest injury.

Hey Duke Tobin, trade for another QB tomorrow. Or today! Zac Taylor, you don't have to support Jake at the podium anymore. It's Joe-ver. Ian Rapoport's report from Sunday that the Bengals' building fully supports Browning sure rings hollow right about now.

*Whispers* Mike White Time...?

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