CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals took care of business and won three straight games for the first time this season.
Cincinnati is playing its best football, but it might be too late to sneak into the playoffs, with five teams battling for the two remaining AFC postseason spots.
At 7-8, the Bengals are on the bubble along with two other teams that have the same record, the Colts and Dolphins.
To have a chance, the Bengals will need to beat the visiting Denver Broncos (9-6) on Saturday, then try to take down the Steelers (10-5) at Pittsburgh in the regular-season finale. They’ll need some help from other teams, too.
The rub for the Bengals is that they have yet to beat a team with a winning record this season. Now with some momentum for the first time, the Bengals will have to clear that hurdle.
“It’s just what it’s supposed to feel like for us. This is our expectation,” coach Zac Taylor said after the Bengals beat the Cleveland Browns 24-6 on Sunday. “We just put ourselves in a position to now play some real meaningful games. … We found a way to get the win and now we can turn our focus to a short week and the Denver Broncos.”
What’s working
Joe Burrow became the first player in NFL history to throw for at least 250 yards and three or more touchdowns in seven consecutive games. One of his TD passes, to Tee Higgins, came as he was falling down. He finished 23 for 30 for 252 yards. … Ja’Marr Chase continues to build his resume as he strives to win the receiving “triple crown.” He had six catches for 97 yards and a touchdown against the Browns and leads the league in receptions, yards and TDs. … K Cade York tied a franchise record with a 59-yard field goal.
“The guys have responded this way all season,” Taylor said. “We lost some heartbreakers to be quite frank, and games that just came down to the end. It doesn’t mean that we’ve had a bad football team and we weren’t in it. We’ve been in this, and now — I don’t want to say getting our confidence back, because we’ve had confidence — but we’re just making the plays necessary at the critical points of the game to take control of these games. That’s really what’s happened the last three weeks, and we’ve got to continue that.”
What needs help
Burrow has fumbled 10 times this season. Against the Browns, he lost a fumble on a strip-sack with the Bengals on the Cleveland 2-yard-line.
Stock up
Last week, S Jordan Battle scooped a fumble and ran it all the way back, only to fumble as he crossed the goal line, leading to a touchback. Against the Browns, he intercepted a second-half pass from Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the end zone. The Bengals’ defense has nine takeaways in the past two games.
Stock down
Cincinnati’s depleted offensive line allowed four sacks.
Injuries
The offensive line took a hit when tackle Amarius Mims went out with an ankle injury and didn’t return.
Key number
5.1 — Yards per carry by RB Chase Brown, who seems to get better every week. He had 18 carries for 91 yards.
Next steps
The Bengals continue their improbable effort to slip into the playoffs when they host the Broncos in their home finale on Saturday. They finish the season the following week at Pittsburgh.
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