CINCINNATI — Zac Taylor predicted Saturday night’s game will be remember for years to come for many reasons. Any Bengal fan that watched Saturday’s epic overtime back-and-forth with the Denver Broncos would hardly disagree with that assessment.
Joe Burrow tossed his third touchdown of the game to Tee Higgins with 1:10 left in overtime to lift the Cincinnati Bengals to a 30-24 electrifying win over the visiting Denver Broncos Saturday in Cincinnati.
Cade York hit the left upright and missed a 33-yard field goal attempt with 2:43 left in overtime that would’ve given Cincinnati the win. But after the Bengals defense held to a three-and-out, the Bengals had another chance. With Chase Brown out with a sprained ankle suffered late in regulation, Burrow took to the air with under two minutes left. His 31-yard strike to Higgins set the Bengals up at the Broncos 3.
On the next play, Burrow found Higgins again, this time for the three-yard reception that capped a 11-catch, 131-yard day for Higgins. Higgins caught all three touchdown passes from Burrow.
Burrow ran a quarterback sneak for a go-ahead touchdown with 1:29 left in the fourth quarter to give Cincinnati a 24-17 lead. Burrow completed 39-for-49 passes for 412 yards and three touchdowns while Ja’Marr Chase caught nine passes for 102 yards and set a new franchise single-season receptions record. Tight end Mike Gesicki played a key role in the Cincinnati passing game, with a season-high 10 catches for 86 yards.
It was the eighth straight game Burrow threw for three touchdowns and at least 250 yards.
Marvin Mims Jr. caught a touchdown over Geno Stone and Mike Hilton on fourth-and-1 from the Cincinnati 25 with eight seconds left to force overtime. It was the second dramatic touchdown on the day for Mims, who also caught a 51-yard bomb from rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
Nix finished 24-of-31 for 219 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
With the win, the Bengals (8-8) draw to .500 for the first time this season and keep their playoff hopes alive. The Bengals must beat the Steelers next week in Pittsburgh and hope Miami, Indianapolis and Denver lose one more game apiece.
Cincinnati extended their winning streak to a season-high four games and beat a team with a winning record for the first time in eight tries.
It was the first time in eight games that Joe Burrow didn’t throw for 250 yards and three touchdowns. Denver reclaimed the NFL sack lead with seven in the game, giving the Broncos 58 for the season, led by Zach Allen with 3.5.
The Broncos (9-7) lost their second straight after a four-game win streak, and missed again on a chance to clinch a playoff spot. They can clinch the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC with a win next week at home against Kansas City.
With the score tied, 17-17, and Cincinnati driving for a potential go-ahead score, Broncos corner Pat Surtain II forced and recovered a fumble by Cincinnati receiver Tee Higgins with 5:08 left in the fourth quarter at the Denver 39.
But facing third-and-15 from the Denver 46, rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw an interception to linebacker Germaine Pratt, reminiscent of his interception in the 2021 AFC wild card round that saved a Cincinnati win over Las Vegas.
The Bengals had a 10-3 lead but could not take advantage of several quality scoring chances. The Bengals could not convert fourth and short on their first two drives, amassing 105 total yards over 28 plays with over 14 minutes of possession.
Facing fourth-and-inches from the Denver 22, Nik Bonitto stopped running back Chase Brown for no gain.
The Bengals played the entire second half without starting right tackle Amarius Mims, who struggled with a club on his broken right hand, an injury suffered in a win over Cleveland six days earlier.
With a seven-yard catch early in the fourth quarter, Ja’Marr Chase set a new single-season franchise record for receptions, passing the 112 by T.J. Houshmandzadeh in 2007.
