Before Wednesday's practice, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor reiterated he won't be tearing up the playbook for Sunday's game (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Local 12) as Jake Browning takes command.

The major thing Browning and Joe Burrow have in common is that they're high-percentage passers. Burrow went on injured reserve this week as the NFL's all-time completion percentage leader, and when Browning beat the Vikings two years ago, his 76% completion percentage was the second highest for a quarterback in his first four starts dating back to 1950.

"There are not wholesale changes in our playbook. That's not how we want to operate," Taylor said. " We've got two quarterbacks who are extremely intelligent, know how to find completions.

"They do a great of making quick decisions, we've got great playmakers, so we try to get them the ball. There are times we want an aggressive mindset when we're calling a play, calling a game. Those are conversations that take place during the week. How aggressive we want you to be when we're calling something."

Taylor says those seven starts in 2023 for Browning are big for not only him, but everybody else.

"There were unknowns two years ago. You hadn't seen him play in a real game, a regular-season game. You never know," Taylor said. "You always think how someone is going to handle it. We've seen Jake do it first-hand. He gives us a great opportunity to go on a run here. There's a lot of trust he's able to do that."

NEW QBS

The Bengals added vet quarterbacks Mike White and Sean Clifford to the practice squad, and both are well known at Paycor Stadium.

White had the game of his life against the Bengals on Halloween, 2021, in New York when he led the Jets to a win over the Bengals while completing 82% of his 45 passes for 405 yards. Clifford, a second-year player and a fifth-round draft pick of the Packers two years ago, is a product of Cincinnati's St. Xavier High School.

"I remember (White) coming out of the draft when he was at Western Kentucky. I was the quarterback coach in LA, so I always followed his career," Taylor said. "He's done a great job. He's got an opportunity to come in here and see what we're about, and we can see what he's about.

"Same with Sean. I've recruited Sean a little bit. He didn't listen to me, but he went to Penn State, but I got to know him during that process. I've always followed him, his brother and his family, and so again, it's great additions to our practice squad that will come in here and start to learn our offense and see where it goes from there."

Taylor had no timeline on Burrow after the club put him on the injury list, so he didn't rule him out returning before the end of the season.

GODFATHER GOLDEN

New Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden acquired the nickname "The Godfather," from some fellow New Jersey natives while at Notre Dame.

On Wednesday before practice, he invoked the movie as he went through the mindset of his defense after Browning's interception put their backs on their own 12 with 5:12 left. Four plays later, they had a stop that ended up winning the game.

"That's it, man, like at the end of the day, Hyman Roth. 'This is the business we've chosen.' That's it," Golden said. "We don't get to choose when and how and why we go out there … You look at those guys' eyes and they didn't flinch. They're buckling up as they're going by me. They fought their ass off. For us to get a negative on the first play is huge.

"The resiliency of two seven-point plays down there and one four-point play, and that's what the red zone is all about. You just plant the flag when you get down there, and if you have a place to stand, you keep fighting."

THIRD DOWN TAKE

The Jags were 6-for-13 on third down last Sunday, and Golden pointed the finger at himself. Take that third down on the last drive, a nine-yard run up the middle.

"It yielded too much yardage. That was solely on me," Golden said. "I've got to put them in better position on third down so we can get them off the field. I have failed them in that vein so far.

"It wasn't good enough last week. At the end of the day, we had to get off the field a couple of times and we did not. Then when we do create some ball-holders, you could see how the rush can impact the game. I've got to spearhead that and make sure that marriage is what we need it to be."

CORNER SETTLES

Golden liked the way his cornerbacks responded Sunday after some rough moments in the first two games, particularly Cam Taylor-Britt and DJ Turner II.

"Really good. Really good. I thought they both did. Both were competitive. I've got to fix one call on DJ. I put him in a bad position on the first touchdown. That's already been remedied but he's really done a great job of fighting through it," Golden said.

"Late in the game, knocking the guy out of the end zone, and that was as big a play as there was in the game, so I'm pleased with both those guys."