Stunned in Cincinnati: Bengals shock Vikings in overtime
Fourth down. Inches to go. Tied 24-24 in overtime. Kevin O'Connell put the game in the hands of Nick Mullens for a QB sneak and the Bengals stood tall, forcing a turnover on downs, minutes later sending the Vikings home with a 27-24 loss on a walk-off 29-yard field goal by Evan McPherson.
That's the kind of day it was for the Minnesota Vikings, riding the backup quarterback roller coaster and watching in disbelief as a 17-3 fourth-quarter lead was erased as the Bengals scored three straight touchdowns against a Minnesota defense that hadn't allowed a touchdown in more than 166 minutes.
The backbreaker was a stretching touchdown by Tee Higgins after reaching high at the 1-yard line to pull down a desperation heave by Jake Browning with 39 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. A shocking touchdown to send the game to overtime.
It's the third time in the past four games the Vikings defense has melted down late in the game. It happened in Denver when Russell Wilson hit Courtland Sutton for a winning touchdown with under a minute to go, and it happened again against the Bears when Justin Fields led Chicago on the go-ahead drive with just over two minutes remaining.
Mullens, the fourth starting quarterback for the Vikings this season, rode a roller coaster, throwing for two touchdowns and getting intercepted twice, while a third interception – a pick-six with the game tied in the fourth quarter – was wiped out by a defensive penalty.
Mullens finished the game 26-of-33 passing for 303 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
"The biggest thing is Nick showed that he can execute our offense," O'Connell said. "I think what we've gotta continue to work through are those plays where we don't try to do too much."
The nixed pick-six was critical. One moment it looked like Minnesota would be trailing 24-17 after blowing a 17-3 lead in the fourth quarter, and then a few moments later — after a 30-yard run by Ty Chandler set up first-and-goal at the 1-yard line — Mullens found rookie receiver Jordan Addison for a wild touchdown and a 24-17 lead.
Chandler started hot, rushing for 30 yards and a touchdown while adding one catch for 16 yards on Minnesota’s opening drive of the game. It was the first opening drive touchdown for the Vikings this season. The 2022 fifth-round pick finished the day with 23 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown.
Mullens and Minnesota missed multiple opportunities in the first half. After Browning overshot Charlie Jones on a would-be touchdown pass, the Vikings got the ball and Dax Hill dropped a pick-six on a pass from Mullens that hit him in the chest. Minnesota took that break and moved into the red zone before Mullens misfired and was intercepted by Mike Hilton at the goal line.
The next drive ended in another Mullens turnover in Cincinnati territory when the journeyman backup quarterback tried to throw the ball while getting sacked. His pass hit B.J. Hill, who was sacking him, and landed in his lap for an interception.
Addison put the Vikings on his back in the third quarter when he scooped a low throw from a backward-falling Mullens and raced unimpeded to the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown to cap an eight-play, 92-yard drive. The score put the Vikings ahead 14-3.
Addison finished the day with six receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
Minnesota went up 17-3 on a 39-yard field goal by Greg Joseph, points off a Browning turnover when the former Vikings practice squad quarterback threw an interception to Akayleb Evans.
That marked a point in the game when the Vikings' momentum hit a wall.
Browning and the Bengals struck back with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Higgins on the first play of the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 17-10. And then after converting a third-and-21 with a 24-yard pass to Ja'Marr Chase, the Bengals powered the ball to goal line and on fourth-and-goal Joe Mixon reached the ball over the line for the game-tying touchdown with 7:46 to play.
At 7-7, the Vikings still control the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoff race but there are six teams each at 6-7 (Packers, Rams, Seahawks, Falcons, Saints and Buccaneers) applying significant pressure. If the Lions beat the Broncos Saturday night, the Vikings will be three games back in the NFC North with three weeks left in the regular season.
Up next: Vikings vs. Lions, Sunday, Dec. 24 at 12 p.m. CT.
