Denver Broncos fall in OT, fail to clinch postseason berth

CINCINNATI — The Denver Broncos have seen their postseason margin for error erode significantly over the past two weeks, the latest blow being a 30-24 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night at Paycor Stadium.

And a team that was three games to win one to end its current eight-year playoff drought just weeks ago and then was two games to win one now has just one to get an increasingly elusive 10th win. The Broncos (9-7), barring help from the other AFC playoff hopefuls, must now win their regular-season finale next weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs to secure the AFC’s seventh and final playoff spot.

“That’s what we do it for, meaningful games, I think it’s important that you embrace that,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “… Nothing worse than playing games in the latter part of the season when there’s nothing on the line … (the message) doesn’t change, you’ve got to get to 10.”

“We could have taken control of that game a lot earlier … but if you let guys like Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins stick around, they’re probably going to figure out a way to punch your ticket,” Broncos tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “… We have to be able to shut it out – yes, it stinks.”

McGlinchey’s assessment was echoed throughout an obviously frustrated Broncos dressing room. The evening’s lost opportunity was not lost on anyone involved.

The Broncos had a chance in the final minutes of regulation, with the game tied 17-17, to cap a game-winning drive, but quarterback Bo Nix threw an interception in Bengals territory with 2 minutes, 30 seconds left to play.

Asked what he saw on the play, Nix said, “A lot of jerseys, trying to force one in there, that happens.”

However, the Broncos answered the Bengals’ score that followed the turnover to make it 24-23 on a ridiculous touchdown catch by Marvin Mims Jr. between two Bengals defenders on a fourth-and-1 play with eight seconds to play in regulation. Nix quickly held up two fingers after the play, signifying to go for the 2-point conversion and the win, but after some deliberation when the play was reviewed by the officials, Payton sent kicker Wil Lutz out for the extra point instead.

“I’ll answer that now, going by two, we knew a tie for us was just as beneficial as a win,” Payton said after the game. “We felt like we had the momentum at that point, look, it went back and forth and at the end we didn’t make enough plays and they did … We discussed it all, (there was) plenty of time, plenty of time, lots of time, and the decision we made is the right one.”

“Well, me, I have no decision-making (power), so I always go for two, but at the end of the day, it’s not always the wisest decision,” Nix said. “… They thought it through and processed it and it was better at that time to kick and play overtime … It was a good decision.”

The Broncos got another reprieve in overtime when Cade Ford’s 33-yard field goal attempt, which would have ended the game, bounced off the left upright. The Broncos got the ball back in a sudden-death situation as the next score would win the game at their own 23-yard line with 2:43 left in overtime.

But they put together an awkward-looking three-and-out, and Riley Dixon’s punt went only 38 yards. The Bengals then struck quickly as Cincinnati went 63 yards in five plays and Burrow hit Higgins for a 3-yard touchdown pass to cap it off.

“We had the opportunity, we just didn’t capitalize,” Mims said. “… Offensively, we just have to execute better.”

“I don’t think you ever want to sit here and learn lessons through all these things,” McGlinchey said. “We have to make ourselves winners when we control the outcome of certain things, then we finish.”

The Broncos won’t know how the Chiefs (15-1), who have the AFC’s No. 1 seed wrapped, will handle things next weekend. There’s a chance some of Kansas City’s front linemen won’t play against the Broncos, despite the potential for a three-week layoff before a divisional round game.

With a win, the Broncos would clinch the final AFC postseason berth. If the Broncos lose the finale, there is potential trouble as the Bengals (8-8) now have a head-to-head win over Denver. And with two more wins, Miami (7-8) would finish with a better record in AFC games than the Broncos if Denver doesn’t win the Finals.

Broncos defensive end Zach Allen, who had a career-best 3.5 sacks in Saturday’s loss, was asked after the game if he had any doubts about the Broncos’ postseason chances since the team can still handle its own business with a win.

“No, no, just get it done … come back Monday and start the week and get it done against Kansas City,” Allen said. “(It’s) definitely much better to be in than last year where you have a 5% chance and (must) have Saturn and Mars aligned.”