JACKSONVILLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Bengals PK Evan McPherson kicked a 48-yard field goal with 1:45 left in overtime to lift the visiting Cincinnati Bengals to a 34-31 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night.
The Jaguars (8-4) lost quarterback Trevor Lawrence to a right ankle injury after left tackle Walker Little stepped on Lawrence late in the fourth quarter. The QB tossed his helmet aside in frustration and left the game for backup C.J. Beathard. Lawrence could not put any weight on his ankle as he left the field.
Lawrence completed 22 of 29 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns before exiting the game.
Beathard fumbled on his first play, but it was recovered by Jaguars receiver Parker Washington. Beathard then directed a drive that ended when Brandon McManus connected for a 40-yard field goal with 26 seconds left in regulation to make it 31-31 and force overtime.
Beathard completed a 43-yard pass to Calvin Ridley down to the Cincinnati 2 in overtime, but Anton Harrison was called for holding to bring the play back. Two plays later, Jacksonville punted.
Cincinnati quarterback Jake Browning, making his second career start due to Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury, then led the Bengals (6-6) on a drive that ended with McPherson’s game-winning field goal.
Browning had a career game, completing 32 of 37 passes for 354 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for a score.
Cincinnati receiver Ja’Marr Chase had 11 catches for 149 yards, including a 76-yard touchdown.
McPherson kicked a 54-yard field goal with 2:28 left in regulation to give the Bengals a 31-28 lead.
The Jaguars went down the field with little resistance on their first drive of the game, which was highlighted by a 26-yard pass to Christian Kirk. However, Kirk sustained a groin injury on the play. He left the game and did not return.
Travis Etienne ended up capping the drive with a 4-yard TD run for a 7-0 lead.
Things were tied at 14-all at the break after a pair of rushing touchdowns by the Bengals’ Joe Mixon — from 6 and 2 yards out — sandwiched Lawrence’s 22-yard scoring strike to Evan Engram.
The Bengals captured the momentum early in the third quarter when Browning tossed a perfect pass down the left sideline to Chase, who gave Cincinnati a 21-14 lead with his 76-yard TD.
Lawrence threw for a touchdown and rushed for another to put the hosts ahead 28-21 with 3:10 left in the third quarter. Browning plunged into the end zone from the Jacksonville 1 early in the fourth to set up the tight finish.