Joe Burrow is out for up to three months after turf-toe surgery on his left foot, a wrench in Cincinnati’s 2025 plan. Jake Browning steps into a bigger role as the Bengals’ fill-in, with the sense that he can keep the offense afloat despite the star’s absence.

An NFL savant argues the season isn’t dead in Cincinnati because Browning’s track record, including a late-season 2023 run, shows he can keep the team competitive and possibly extend their playoff window if Burrow returns late in the year.