Bengals 30 Broncos 24 (OT)
Warning: This write-up will not do justice to what exactly happened at Paycor.
Joe Burrow hit Tee Higgins for a 3-yard TD with 1:07 left in overtime to win it.
Burrow had completed a 31-yard pass to Higgins to the Denver 3.
The Bengals move to 8-8, winning their first game vs a team with a winning record (1-7) and keeping playoff hopes alive.
Cade York had missed a 34-yard FG off the left upright with 2:39 left in OT that would have won it. The Bengals D came up with a three and out stop to get the ball right back Burrow.
A tie would have eliminated the Bengals.
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4th quarter drama:
Joe Burrow scored on a 1-yard QB sneak with 1:29 remaining to give the Bengals the lead. But a Broncos 4th and 1 25-yard TD with :08 withstood a replay review and tied the game, forcing overtime.
17-17 with 5:06 left, Tee Higgins fumbled a 3rd down catch at the Broncos 43. Ruled incomplete, overturned to complete/fumble on Denver challenge.
But 17-17 with 2:30 left, Germaine Pratt picked off Bo Nix at Bengals 40. Burrow marched the Bengals 6 plays, 59 yards in 1:01 for the lead.
Injury: Chase Brown tweaked his ankle sliding/attempting not to score (kill clock) at the one yard line with 1:31 left in regulation. He left the game and did not return.
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Offense: 499 yards
Burrow: 412 yards, 3 TD (42), 3 to Higgins. 7 sacks. 19 yard run on 3rd & 13 to end 3rd quarter. Picked on CB Riley Moss. At least 250 yards passing and three touchdowns in eight straight games, extending his NFL record.
Mike Gesicki targeted early and often: 10-86.
Higgins: 11-131-3 TD
Chase: 9-102. 14 targets. Contained early on. Huge 38-yard catch. 2 drops. Broke T.J. Houshmandzadeh's single-season receptions record of 112 set in 2007.
Yosi: 26 yard catch
OL actually stood up and defended the rough housing of Burrow with pushes/shoves at one point.
Devin Cochran took over for Amarius Mims (ankle/hand) late in half.
First five drives crossed Denver 25-yard line.
Burned timeouts. Left with just one late.
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Failures:
No. 1 Brown stopped on 3rd & 2, 4th & 1 opening drive at Denver 22.
No. 2 Burrow sacked 4th & goal at 2. Ja’Marr Chase dropped 3rd pass in the endzone. Burrow misfired to Gesicki on 1st down at goal line.
No. 3 Settled for 22-yard FG after seven plays from Broncos 8 yard line or closer.
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Defense: 329 yards, 3rd D: 4 of 12 ,
1 INT, 2 sacks.
Opening drive adversity for fourth straight game. Held 10 play drive to 30-yard FG. Settled in for 1st half.
Gave up chunks on the ground in 3rd quarter.
Nix 51-yard game tying TD throw beat Stone/Battle with 8:48 left. Throw was 61 yards in the air, longest in NFL this season (CBS).
Sack: Shared by Ossai/ Hendrickson, Cedric Johnson (1).
