Cincy Stays Alive

The Cincinnati Bengals kept their playoff hopes alive with a 30-24 overtime win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday at Paycor Stadium as the Broncos were denied a postseason-clinching win for the second consecutive week.

Receiver Tee Higgins caught his third touchdown pass of the game in overtime to keep the Bengals alive for the playoffs entering the final weekend of the season. The Broncos are still in the best position for the AFC’s seventh and final playoff spot, as they need only a win next week over the Chiefs to qualify. But they were denied Saturday.

The Bengals had a clock management fiasco in the final two minutes of regulation, which allowed Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix to drive his team downfield and complete a touchdown pass with eight seconds left. The Broncos could have gone for the 2-point conversion and the win, which would have sent them to the playoffs, but they kicked the extra point and took their chances in overtime.

The Bengals had a 33-yard field-goal attempt for the win but Cade York missed it, hitting it off the upright. With a tie, the Bengals would have been eliminated and the Broncos would have clinched a playoff berth.

But Cincinnati’s defense, which has been a problem most of the season, came through. It forced two three-and-outs in overtime, then with a little more than a minute to go Burrow hit Tee Higgins on a huge 31-yard catch down to the 3-yard line. The Bengals won 30-24 on the next play on a touchdown pass to Higgins.

The Broncos would have clinched a playoff spot and the Bengals would have been eliminated with a Denver win or a tie on Saturday night. The Bengals still need plenty of help to make the playoffs, including the Broncos losing in Week 18 to a Kansas City Chiefs team that has already clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed. But Cincinnati still has hope. And unfortunately for the Broncos, they can’t put their playoff drought to rest yet.

The late win saved a lot of grief for Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, York and the Bengals as a whole. Once again, Burrow carried the Bengals out of a big mess.

The Bengals won the coin toss to start overtime but couldn’t score and punted. A tie would have clinched a playoff spot for the Broncos. Denver had a quick three-and-out, which gave Burrow another chance to win it. A few completions got the Bengals well within field-goal range for York. But York hit the 33-yard attempt off the upright with 2:43 left. At that point, the Bengals needed to keep the Broncos from getting a first down, because presumably Denver would have played for the tie and run down the clock.

But the Bengals forced another three-and-out, giving Burrow one more chance. They got the ball on their own 38-yard line with 2:20 left. Burrow’s 31-yard pass to Higgins down the sideline was the key play to get a win to stay alive in the playoff hunt.

To make the playoffs, the Bengals need to beat the Steelers in Week 18, and have the Broncos, Colts and Dolphins each lose at least one more game. That’s a lot to ask, but Cincinnati has a chance going into the final week of the season. Given all their issues on Saturday and for the season as a whole, that’s all they could ask for.