Bengals keep playoff hopes alive, survive in OT vs. Broncos

Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes to Tee Higgins, including a game-winning scoring strike with 1:07 left in overtime, to give the host Cincinnati Bengals an electrifying 30-24 win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday.

Cade York could have given Cincinnati (8-8) the win with 2:43 to go in the extra session, but his 33-yard field-goal attempt hit the left upright. The Bengals' defense buckled down, though, forcing Denver to go three-and-out to get Burrow, Higgins and the rest of the offense back out on the field.

Cincinnati proceeded to go 63 yards in five plays, with Higgins' 3-yard TD catch giving the Bengals their fourth straight victory. Higgins finished with 11 catches for 131 yards.

Marvin Mims Jr. forced overtime by hauling in a 25-yard score on fourth-and-1 to draw the Broncos (9-7) even at 24 with eight seconds left in regulation. Burrow had put Cincinnati in front by plunging into the end zone from 1 yard out just 1:21 earlier.

Burrow completed 39 of 49 passes for 412 yards and the three touchdowns while Ja'Marr Chase had nine catches for 102 yards and set a single-season franchise record for receptions. He now has 117. Tight end Mike Gesicki played a key role in the Cincinnati passing game, grabbing a season-high 10 catches for 86 yards.

The Bengals kept their playoff hopes alive, but they must beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18 while also getting losses from the Broncos, Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts.

Mims was rookie quarterback Bo Nix's favorite target, recording 103 yards and a pair of scores on eight receptions. Nix went 24-for-31 passing for 219 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Denver is still in search of a wild-card spot and can lock one down with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 5.

Wil Lutz booted a 30-yard field goal to open the scoring and give the Broncos a 3-0 lead. The first Burrow-to-Higgins TD -- a 2-yard connection -- put the hosts up 7-3 with 1:49 to go in the first half, and that advantage held until the break.

A 22-yard field goal from York made it 10-3 with 9:07 remaining in the third quarter.

Nix found Courtland Sutton for a 6-yard touchdown to tie things at 10. The teams then traded fourth-quarter TDs, with Higgins snatching a 12-yard scoring pass and Mims ending up on the receiving end of a 51-yard strike.

--Field Level Media