Battle, Injury, & Heart, Bengals vs. Jaguars

September 18th, 2025

Coach Fogle here with my breakdown of today’s wild ride between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Jacksonville Jaguars. I’m watching this through the lens of a football coach, so I see more than just X’s and O’s — I see heart, adjustments, adversity, and lessons for young men trying to figure it out in tough moments.

It was one of those games that looked like the Bengals might fold — until they didn’t. The Jaguars jumped out to a lead, but Cincinnati found ways to claw back, even after losing Joe Shifty ( Joe Burrow for the ones that don’t know lol).

The biggest drama of the day was when, Joe Burrow left the game in the second quarter due to a turf toe injury.

Something like that is a devastating blow to a teams locker room, front office, and fanbase. Joe had completed 7 of 13 passes, to go along with 76 yards and a ruddy, before the injury. 

During the postgame,  he was seen on crutches, along with wearing a walking boot. The Initial reports suggest torn ligaments in the toe.

After speakkng with doctors and having surgery, Joe is out for three months. 

This kind of injury to a QB like Burrow, is a serious red flag, that coincidentally #WhoDey is all too familiar with. 

We’ll see how Cincinnati handles the next stretch without him however, during Sundays game, they may have enough toughness to survive a hit like that.

Jake Browning, stepped in for Burrow & went, 21-of-32 for 241 yards, two passing touchdowns, & three interceptions. 

Jake capped the day with a gutsy 15-play, 92-yard drive, finishing it himself on a quarterback sneak with 18 seconds left.

 Ja'Marr Chase was doing what he does best. He had 14 catches on 16 targets, paired with 165 yards and a touchdown.

 That performance was Chase’s 20th career game of 100+ yards receiving. That performance also tied, Ring-of-Honor member Isaac Curtis for third-most in team history.

Now as far as the defense gies goes, Dax Hill snagged an early interception in the end zone, killing a Jacksonville drive.

 Jacksonville missed a big opportunity late, as they were stopped on a failed conversion on 4th-and-5. Due to the late surge of great defense from the Bengals, the Jaguars turned the ball over. 

Kicking themselves in the foot, they turned the ball over to the Bengals with about three minutes left.

🗣 Quotes & Coach’s Mindset

From the Bengals’ side, Coach Zac Taylor kept it honest:  “Resilient group that found a way. It feels like that’s what this year is turning into already.”

Jake Browning himself didn’t shy away from the drama of the night:

“I had thrown three picks, and somehow we had a chance to win the game. I can't be afraid of the fourth in that situation. The defense did a good job forcing a turnover on downs, so I had to be delusional and aggressive, because the moment called for it.”

That mindset  “delusional and aggressive” is something a coach, at any level,  can hang their hat on. Sometimes, in pressure moments, you’ve gotta lean into the moment, trust your preparation, and not stray away.

🧠 Coach Fogles Corner: What I’m Watching

1. Depth matters — especially at QB.

Burrow looks hurt, and Cincinnati showed the value of having a backup who can not only manage the game, but who can also finish the game under fire. You never hope to need your backup, but you damn well better have one ready.

2. Heart can trump adversity.

Three interceptions, a quarter without your starting QB, trailing in the second half — and yet the Bengals find a way. That level of composure under stress? That starts in practice. It starts in teaching your boys how to respond when things don’t go your way.

3. Keep your poise on the sideline.

Jacksonville’s hiccups and the sideline tension with the head coach and QB tell me that massive talent isn’t always enough. If your leader (coach or QB) isn’t aligned under stress, it fractures the team’s ability to respond. Emotional control, communication, and trust are fundamentals we preach at every level.

4. Play aggressive, but smart.

Browning said he had to be “delusional and aggressive” late. I respect that mentality. At youth ball, I’d call that “calculated boldness.” You don’t stay passive when your back is against the wall, but you also don’t throw recklessly without understanding field position, game clock, and what your defense is giving you.

5. Injury contingency planning.

Losing your star player — especially your quarterback — changes everything in a game plan. Coaches and teams that prepare for that possibility, even if they hope it doesn’t happen, are the ones who don’t crumble. In youth football as in the NFL: teach your boys to know the game plan, even when the plan changes mid drive or mid-game.

✅ Final Thoughts

Cincinnati walked out of today’s barn-burner with a win, but they paid a price. Joe Burrow’s toe injury looms large, and the season could turn on how well they adapt without him — especially with Jake Browning now seeing extended reps under center.

If I’m talking to my boys after this one, I’d say: watch how the Bengals kept coming back, watch how a backup QB answered when his number was called, and remember — a football team is more than its stars.

It’s a collection of prepared, mentally tough young men and coaches who coach them to keep their heads when the lights get bright.

By ; Darius Fogle