Evan McPherson kicked a 29-yard field goal in overtime on Sunday [AEDT] to give the Cincinnati Bengals a 27-24 NFL victory over the visiting Minnesota Vikings.
Jake Browning, who was released three times by the Vikings before landing with Cincinnati in 2021, completed 29-of-42 passes for 324 yards, including two touchdown tosses to Tee Higgins, as the Bengals rallied from 17-3 down entering the fourth quarter and improved to 8-6 on the season.
“There was a little bit more this week,” Browning said.
“That one felt good. I think when that field goal was good I screamed into a camera, ‘They never should have cut me.’”
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The Vikings fell to 7-7, sixth in the NFC playoff chase, despite Nick Mullens throwing for 303 yards with two touchdown passes to rookie Jordan Addison and Ty Chandler rushing 23 times for 132 yards.
“We did a lot of good things out there,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said.
“We’ve got to evaluate this really hard. We’ve got to go make the plays to win these games.” Mullens connected with Addison on a 37-yard touchdown pass on the third quarter’s opening drive and Greg Joseph added a 39-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 17-3 advantage.
Minnesota’s defensive unit had not allowed a touchdown in more than 166 minutes, the longest span in the NFL this season, until Browning connected with Higgins on a 13-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter.
“We knew they were an attacking defence and we had to attack them on offence,” Browning said.
“We were able to keep that mindset and finally put together some points.”
Joe Mixon’s 1-yard touchdown run on a fourth-down play capped a 63-yard march on Cincinnati’s next drive and lifted the Bengals level at 17-17 with 7:46 remaining.
Mullens then guided the Vikings on a 75-yard scoring march capped by a 1-yard touchdown pass to Addison with 3:48 to play.
Addison’s touchdown reception was his ninth of the season, the most by any NFL rookie this year.
Cincinnati responded in the dying seconds when Browning lofted a throw to Higgins, who leaped high to grab the ball at the 1-yard line, landed and then, while being pulled out of bounds, swung the ball over the goal line for a stunning 21-yard touchdown play as the Bengals equalised at 24-24 to force overtime.
“I never stop putting in the work,” Higgins said.
“I’m happy I was able to do that today.”
McPherson’s 34-yard field goal on Cincinnati’s first possession gave the Bengals the early lead, but Minnesota answered with a 75-yard, 12-play drive capped by Chandler’s 1-yard touchdown run to give the Vikings a 7-3 halftime edge.
Later in the day, Indianapolis improved to 8-6 and are right in the thick of the AFC playoff race after easily taking care of the struggling Pittsburgh Steelers 30-13.
That was despite losing star wide receiver Michael Pittman (concussion) and running back Zack Moss (arm), having already entered Sunday’s game without starter Jonathan Taylor (thumb).
Pittman (four receptions for 78 yards) was on track for a big day before a nasty hit from Pittsburgh’s Damontae Kazee, who was subsequently ejected.
While it is wheels up for the Colts, the Steelers appear no closer to finding an answer at quarterback after their latest defeat.
Mitch Trubisky, who was filling in for the injured Kenny Pickett, struggled again after throwing two interceptions and was benched late in the piece for Mason Rudolph.
Sunday’s later NFL game finds Denver (7-6) at Detroit (9-4).
Minnesota’s loss means Detroit would clinch a playoff berth with a victory and a Seattle home loss to Philadelphia.
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