In a sea of orange, the only way to distinguish the well-traveled Broncos Country loyally was by sound, not by sight, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Battling for the final playoff slot in the AFC race, the surging Bengals outlasted the Denver Broncos to inch one game closer in the standings after their 30-24 overtime win on Saturday night. The 66,546 cheering fans in attendance and the millions watching on national TV were treated to one of the most spectacular performances of the season for both teams. Some of the NFL’s elite veterans, rookies, and rising stars proved their merit, rising to the occasion throughout the game.

In the end, it was yet another blown opportunity for the Broncos to advance to the playoffs, needing only one win in one of their last three games to advance. Now, it will come down to their final game of the regular season at home against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Win, and they’re in; lose will depend on what else happens with the remaining teams that are still alive. If Cincinnati were one of those teams to win, they would move ahead of the Broncos with their win in Saturday’s overtime victory.

It was their fourth consecutive win for the Bengals, while the Broncos lost their second straight after winning four in a row. Quarterback Joe Burrow, the hottest quarterback in the league, continued his streak despite being sacked seven times by the number one team in the NFL in sacks, the Denver Broncos. For Burrow, it was his eighth consecutive game with at least 250 yards and three touchdown passes, extending the longest streak in NFL history.

Adding to his outstanding performance, Burrow became the fourth quarterback in league history with three or more scoring passes in eight straight games, joining Tom Brady (10 straight in 2007), Peyton Manning (eight in 2004), and Andrew Luck (eight in 2018). For his efforts, he was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his win over the Broncos. Three of his touchdowns went to wide receiver Tee Higgins, including the game-winning touchdown in overtime.

“We know we can hang with anybody. We’ve proven that this year,” said Burrow after the game. “We’ve played every single team close. So, it’s just about making the plays down the stretch to win those games. Today, we did. The last four weeks we have, and we’ve got to continue to do it.” Burrow finished the game with 39 completions on 49 attempts for 412 yards and four touchdowns.

Facing a Bengals team with a hot hand, the Broncos had several opportunities to close the game but couldn’t do it. Two spectacular touchdown catches by Marvin Mims, Jr., including the game-tying touchdown in the end zone, weren’t enough. Courtland Sutton also added a leaping grab in the end zone for a touchdown to complete the three touchdowns Bo Nix threw.

“Honestly, it’s fun,” quarterback Bo Nix said after the game. “It’s why you play this sport. You play for moments like this. We had our opportunities, and we just didn’t finish.” Nix finished with 24 completions for 219 yards, with two sacks and three touchdowns for a 114.9 quarterback rating.

Nix threw a 25-yard end zone pass to Marvin Mims, Jr., to tie the score with 14 seconds left in the game. After the Bengals kneeled down, the game went into overtime. The Broncos had two possessions in overtime and went three-and-out on both. Needing only one first down on the final possession, the Broncos could have ended the game in a tie, which would have qualified them for the playoffs.

“Obviously, a hard-fought game,” Head Coach Sean Payton said. “A tough one to lose. We had our opportunities. I’m proud of this team. It wasn’t perfect, but man, the will to compete and answer, it was pretty impressive.”

After his injury in Week 12 against the Raiders, Cornerback Riley Moss returned to the lineup. The Bengals made it a point of emphasis to attack Moss throughout the game. Moss was targeted 14 times on his assignments and gave up 11 catches, including the game-winner in overtime to Tee Higgins.

“Sometimes you eat a (expletive) sandwich and you have to own it,” Moss said after the game. “Give credit to them. They had a great game. Personally I’ve got to make some of those plays. We’ve got to get off the field on third down, fourth down. So there is a lot of things we’ve got to look at before next week.”

The final game of the season for the Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium will be against the Kansas City Chiefs, who have already clinched the top seed in the AFC. They are expected to rest their key starters, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes. At 15-1, the Chiefs have the best record in football. They beat the Broncos in their first meeting this season on a blocked field goal.

“Listen, you go out and compete,” Payton said. “There’s pressure every week. This is what we do it for: meaningful games here. I think it’s important that you embrace it, and it is exciting. There’s nothing worse than playing games in the last part of a season where there’s nothing at stake. I think it’s something we’ll all be excited about.” Game time in Denver on Sunday is 2:25 PM MT, and the weather is expected to be cloudy and 42 degrees. (See the Broncos - Bengals Game Photo Gallery at www.SportsReportNet.com)

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