Bengals Quick Hits: Tee Higgins (2 TDs), Tyler Boyd and Jake Browning Lead Improbable Comeback In 27-24 OT Win Over Vikings

CINCINNATI — These Bengals are defying all the odds.

Evan McPherson booted a 29-yard field goal with 3:11 left in overtime to rally the Cincinnati Bengals past the visiting Minnesota Vikings, 27-24, on Saturday.

The Bengals suffered knee injuries to DJ Reader and DJ Ivey and a shoulder injury to Ja’Marr Chase and still willed their way to a win in a wild contest before 66,376 at a delirious Paycor Stadium.

Jake Browning connected with Tyler Boyd for 44 yards on third-and-9 from the Cincinnati 43 in overtime to set up the game-winning kick.

Tee Higgins caught a pass at the Minnesota 1 and then extended the ball with his right arm and hand over the goal line as he was being tackled by Adayleb Evans for a 21-yard, game-tying touchdown with 39 seconds left in regulation.

Higgins finished with four catches for 61 yards and his first two touchdowns since Week 2 against Baltimore.

Browning finished 29-for-42 for 324 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

The Bengals did not have the services of star receiver Ja’Marr Chase on Cincinnati’s game-tying drive, as he headed to the locker room with a right shoulder injury and did not return for overtime.

Chase was injured when Browning connected with him on a third-and-21 that resulted in a 25-yard catch over the middle and eventually led to a 1-yard Joe Mixon TD run on fourth-and-goal that tied the game, 17-17.

The Bengals rallied from deficits of 17-3 and 24-17 in the fourth quarter, scoring 21 points in the final 15 minutes to force overtime.

The Bengals stopped Minnesota on 4th-and-1 at the Cincinnati 42 with 6:15 left in overtime, giving Cincinnati, which had the ball to start the extra period, another chance to win the game.

Minnesota quarterback Nick Mullens threw a pair of touchdown passes to Jordan Addison, who finished with six catches for 111 yards while Ty Chandler set up Minnesota’s go-ahead score in the fourth quarter with a 30-yard yard run. Chandler finished with 132 yards on 23 carries and a 1-yard TD run.

Bengals star defensive end Trey Hendrickson was offsides with 6:21 left in the fourth quarter, wiping out a Germaine Pratt pick-6 that would’ve given the Bengals a late lead.

Hendrickson finished with 1.5 sacks and now has 15 for the season, surpassing his official franchise mark of 14 set in 2021.

The Bengals had their best rhythm of the first half on their game-opening drive, marching down to the Minnesota 12. But on third down, the Bengals tried a trick play, a reverse to tight end Tanner Hudson, who had the option to throw a pass to either Tee Higgins or Ja’Marr Chase.

But Hudson couldn’t pull the trigger and ran out of bounds for a four-yard sack. The Bengals settled for a 34-yard Evan McPherson field goal and a 3-0 lead.

The Vikings then marched 75 yards in 12 plays for their first touchdown in three weeks, with the drive capped by a one-yard Ty Chandler run with 2:23 left in the first quarter.

On the drive, the Bengals lost their starting nose tackle DJ Reader to a right knee injury, as he was carted off with 7:46 left in the first quarter.

Later in the first quarter, the Bengals lost another defensive player to a knee injury as DJ Ivey was carted to the locker room with a left knee injury while covering a punt.

The Vikings had two opportunities to add to their lead, but Nick Mullens turned the ball over twice in the red zone.

The Bengals also had their chance at a big play but just missed. On third-and-15 from the Cincinnati 40, Jake Browning threw a deep pass down the middle to a wide open Charlie Jones. But the ball fell incomplete just beyond the grasp of Jones.

Mike Hilton picked off a pass at the Cincinnati 1 and returned it to the 17 with four minutes left in the half.

Three minutes later, the Vikings got the ball back and drove to the Cincinnati 16. But Mullens was sacked by Myles Murphy back to the 22.

On the next play, defensive tackle BJ Hill broke through and hit Mullens as he was throwing. Hill picked off the ball and the Bengals took over at the Cincinnati 30.

The Bengals appeared ready to strike for a quick score with 17 seconds left but a 40-yard pass to Tee Higgins was overturned and ruled incomplete.