Browning leads Bengals to thrilling comeback win
Colts hand sagging Steelers their third straight defeat
BENGALS 27, VIKINGS 24 (OT)
At Cincinnati, trailing 17-3 late in the third quarter behind an offence that had struggled to move the ball, the Bengals needed Jake Browning to be nearly perfect.
And he was.
Browning led Cincinnati to three fourth-quarter touchdowns and directed the winning drive in overtime in his latest extraordinary performance since taking over for the injured Joe Burrow, and the Bengals beat the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday to improve their position in the playoff race.
Browning won his third straight start and improved to 3-1 since Burrow suffered a season-ending right wrist injury in a loss at Baltimore. This time, he threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and overtime, becoming the fourth QB in the past two years to throw for at least that many yards and two or more scores after three quarters.
“I feel like I need a beer,” said Browning, who beat a team that cut him from its practice squad two years ago.
Tee Higgins went high over a Vikings defender to catch a 16-yard pass from Browning and make a twisting move at the goal line for the tying touchdown with 39 seconds left in regulation. Then, in overtime, a scrambling Browning found Tyler Boyd for a 44-yard completion that got Cincinnati (8-6) into Vikings territory and set up Evan McPherson's game-ending 29-yard field goal.
Browning finished 29 for 42 for 324 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
COLTS 30, STEELERS 13
At Indianapolis, Gardner Minshew threw three touchdown passes and the Colts rushed for 170 yards, improving their playoff prospects with a win over sagging Pittsburgh.
Minshew was 18 of 28 for 215 yards and matched his career high for TD passes while leading a Colts offence lacking its usual complement of playmakers. Leading receiver Michael Pittman Jr. left the game with a concussion, top rusher Zack Moss departed with a right arm injury, and 2021 rushing champ Jonathan Taylor (right thumb) didn't play.
The Colts (8-6) have won five of six and temporarily moved a halfgame ahead of three teams for the AFC's seventh and final playoff spot. The Steelers (7-7) dropped
their third straight and fell into last place in the rugged AFC North, putting coach Mike Tomlin's run of 16 straight seasons at .500 or better in jeopardy.
Pittsburgh took an early 13-0 lead behind backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky, but by late in the fourth quarter, the Colts had scored 30 consecutive points and thirdstringer Mason Rudolph was slinging passes for the Steelers.
Trey Sermon ran 17 times for 88
yards to lead the Colts after logging only 11 runs this season. Pittman finished with four receptions for 78 yards, giving him 99 catches and the second 1,000-yard season of his career.
Trubisky went 16 of 23 for 169 yards with one TD pass and two interceptions in another ugly offensive effort for Pittsburgh, which only had 74 yards rushing and finished with 216 total yards.