JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Evan McPherson booted a 48-yard game-winning field goal with less than two minutes left in overtime to give the Cincinnati Bengals a 34-31 win over Jacksonville on Monday Night Football, but Jake Browning grabbed everyone’s attention.

Browning, an undrafted free agent backup quarterback to the injured Joe Burrow, completed 32 of 37 passes for 354 yards, with one touchdown in the air and one on the ground in the upset win over the host Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.

The win not only put the kibosh on the Bengals’ three-game losing skid and a nine-game road losing streak on MNF, but made Browning’s stock as a QB skyrocket.

“I think just having a week under my belt was huge. I think that’s really — that’s not a fancy answer — but that’s really what it was,” Browning said after the win. “Really needed that one. Fun to do it on Monday night against a really good Jacksonville team who will be in the playoff hunt going forward. Yeah — it felt good.”

Browning, who made his second-ever start on Monday night, was coming off a horrible loss to Pittsburgh at Paycor Stadium last week — where the offense did not exist.

But on Monday Night Football, Browning stayed cool and calm in a game that featured five ties.

“Awesome. Outstanding,” was how Bengals head coach Zac Taylor described his QB. “He had a great week of practice. I felt really good coming out this week, getting ready for this game. He just lit the world on fire.”

Taylor said he wasn’t surprised by Browning’s performance, but he had to be.

All of us in the media box were.

“Thought he managed the game well,” Taylor added. “He was aggressive with some of his throws. Really proud of the team win, but really proud of Jake. In his second career start to come out on Monday Night Football to do what he did is pretty cool.”

For the remainder of the season, it’s Jake Cool — not Joe Cool.

The effort from Browning was contagious.

Last week, Bengals wide receiver and playmaker Ja’Marr Chase was a bit subdued after the embarrassing loss to the Steelers.

But not when the prime time lights went on in Florida.

The Bengals came to play, and part of that was ignited from Cincinnati’s quarterback.

Browning inspired Chase (who nicknamed himself “7-Eleven” because “he’s always open”) as he hauled in 11 catches on 12 targets for 149 yards, which included a 76-yard TD flash and dash.

But one of Chase’s biggest plays was a 17-yard double-bobble catch near midfield — that kept the game-winning overtime drive alive.

Browning connected with Tee Higgins, who had three catches for 36 yards in his return from a hamstring injury, for 11 yards and a first down.

Chase then snagged a Browning pass, and used a nifty stiffarm for a nine-yard gain to the Jacksonville 34.

Then came McPherson’s heroics.

“Any time you’re in that situation, you are kind of starting to think about the field goal and just trying to get it in range,” Browning added. “Evan (McPherson) made some huge kicks, which was awesome.”

Browning made clutch throw after clutch throw, and tossed in a 21-yard scramble to put McPherson in position to nail a 54-yarder for the 31-28 lead with 2:28 to play in the fourth.

However, the Jags sent the game to OT — with a 40-yard field goal with 26 tics left.

But Browning was definitely leading the Bengals.

Running back Joe Mixon turned in a solid performance with 68 yards rushing on 19 carries and two touchdowns.

Mixon and Chase Brown’s production (61 yards on nine carries) on the ground opened doors for the passing game to take flight.

“It’s huge,” Browning said. “Like the long one to Ja’Marr. I think part of the reason they’re playing single high — I think this busted the coverage. But part of the reason they’re playing so high is we were running the ball so well. So much opens up off that and makes my life much easier when we’re able to run the ball like that.”

Browning appeared to be collected, cool and calm — and was spotted laughing in the huddle in a tense and crucial moment prior to the game-winning field goal.

“I was joking with Ja’Marr and asked if he could get the first down there?” he joked. “Just a little sarcasm back and forth. It’s just felt like we were in rhythm. I think the stats kind of show that, and just overall top-to-bottom good offensive performance.”

The win puts Cincinnati at 6-6 and keeps hope alive for a Bengals’ playoff run, but that remains on life support.

“To get to 6-6 and keep ourselves right in the thick of it is huge,” Taylor said. “Because that’s what you got to do right now. To be able to get this one on the road verses a really good — I mean, I watch all their games. This is a really good win for this team. We just got to continue to build on it.”

In the end, Browning showed the MNF world that he can play at a high level — and teams from all over the NFL had to take note.

Will they be able to keep him next year?

We shall see.

Who Dey!