Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (6) scrambles and looks to pass as Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) and defensive tackle Armon Watts (94) try to stop him during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Quick Hits: After Loss To Steelers, Browning Takes Stock Of Interceptions; Higgins Tees Off With Longest Play Of Career
Quick Hits: Higgins opens with longest play of career; Browning assesses inter…
Ryan Meyer, quarterback At Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Acrisure Stadium on Saturday, December 23, 2023, during the Bengals-Steelers game, Jake Browning is running the ball.
PITTSBURGH _ Jake Browning has led the Bengals into this AFC playoff game, and even after the team’s 34-11 defeat at the hands of the Steelers on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, which left both teams at 8-7 with Pittsburgh leading due to the season sweep, Browning still feels that he is.
“The postseason, I’m not sure. After the Bengals are still hanging by a thread, Browning remarked, “I’ve been ignoring that in general.” “This will teach me something. Many quarterbacks have off nights. My game wasn’t very good. It is your reaction. That’s where I am as well as our team’s current position.”
Browning has made three straight starts and has been historically outstanding, but the Steelers have defeated him in the same manner as they did on November 26, his first start back at Paycor Stadium. For his first multiple-pick game, they accomplished it with three interceptions this time.
The most harmful was the first one. Browning got the Bengals back to the Steelers’ 15 after trailing 7-0, when he was confronted with a third-and-nine. He felt like he was throwing it away as he slid away from the rush. Rather, he lofted it into a huddle of three Steelers in the end zone, and the league’s active leader, cornerback-turned-safety Patrick Peterson, came up with his 36th interception.
“Ignorant,” Browning murmured. “The entire crowd went nuts as I attempted to toss it out of the back of the end zone. I had no idea it had been chosen.
Toss it aside and attempt a field goal. You never know what could occur.
Among those making their first four NFL starts, Browning was among the top five players. You name it: yards, passer rating, completion percentage, etc. not in his fifth outing, though. Okay, perhaps yards. For his third 300-yard game, he scored 335.
“I have to find a way to turn those interceptions into incompletions, checkdowns, something,” Browning stated.]
TEE BALL: The injured Ja’Marr Chase was replaced by Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, who performed admirably. He finished with a season-high 140 yards, which included his longest play to date—an 80-yard touchdown off a slant-and-go in the middle of the field. Higgins is having a really interesting week. He scored an incredible game-winning touchdown in the final seconds last week.
“I took a rather slanting route. “I believe the supporter turned to sidestep me and reunite with me, but it was a bit too late,” Higgins remarked. “I had room because of that. I could see the green grass in the broad field. History is what’s left.”
Late in the second quarter, with the score at 21-0, the Bengals had a chance to tie the score on a fourth-and-half-yard pass from the Steelers 5. On a pass that was incomplete, Higgins was completely covered by Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. in the left corner of the end zone. Despite Porter’s high penalty totals in the league, Higgins stated, “I’ll just say they made a good play.”
“Extremely annoying. Jake was struck. Nobody is at blame “stated Higgins. You never know if we’ll get that one or not. That was where the game could have gone either way.
DECEMBER COAL: The Bengals’ loss ended the NFL’s longest December winning streak at nine, which dates back to the team’s OT victory over the 49ers at Paycor on December 12, 2021. With 12, the Bengals entered the game tied for the fewest turnovers in the NFL.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor stated, “In all three phases, and that was turnovers on offense and missed opportunities there.” “This league is humble. Today is one of humility. Furthermore, we’ll need to be able to learn from our mistakes and move on fast. And we have a ton of games in Kansas City the following week.”
GEORGE’S POST: George Pickens, a wide receiver with the Steelers, may not enjoy blocking, but he made some huge catches that changed games and amassed a career-high 195 yards on four catches. He made a 31-eighth-century touchdown reception by getting past cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, and at the end of the half, he repeated the same for 44 yards on third-and-one to set up a field goal.
“I had a couple of bad plays, stuff that I knew was coming,” Awuzie stated. “Somethings I just didn’t handle well. I thought I had disappointed my teammates.
