Bengals' Taylor: I still have 'unwavering' confidence in Browning
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is still backing quarterback Jake Browning despite the signal-caller struggling in his first two starts since replacing injured star Joe Burrow this season.
"I've got a ton of confidence in Jake (Browning). I'm unwavering in that," Taylor told reporters, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer's Shelby Dermer. "I know that we can do a great job supporting him to where he can go win games for us."
Browning led the Bengals to a victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars after Burrow got hurt, but it's been a different story over the last two weeks. The 29-year-old has totaled just 265 passing yards during this 0-2 stretch, and is currently 31st among 33 qualifying quarterbacks in EPA/play, according to Ben Baldwin's database.
Cincinnati's offense racked up just 159 yards in their loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday night, and has been outscored by a combined 63 points in Browning's last two starts. The Bengals' run game has been nonexistent this season, averaging just 50 yards on the ground per contest, which is 30 yards fewer than the 31st-ranked Pittsburgh Steelers.
Despite the Bengals' struggles on offense, Taylor hinted that the team isn't looking to acquire a quarterback to replace Browning anytime soon. The organization has traded for only three players during the season since 1972.
"I don't. I think with every position we're always assessing. That's Duke's (Tobin) job," Taylor said of possibly trading for another signal-caller. "That's the personnel department."
Cincinnati is 2-2 and only one game back of the Steelers for first place in the AFC North. However, their schedule gets significantly harder over the next three games, as they face clubs with a combined record of 8-3-1 from Weeks 5-7.
The Bengals will square off against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.