Snapshot of AFC playoff picture: Patriots still tops while Broncos take over

That is problematic for the Bengals after a 20-17 overtime loss to the Broncos on Monday night left them needing a win and some help if they are to get a first round bye and avoid Wild Card game.

“The ball was on the ground, and I was feeling like, ‘There’s no way somebody’s going to take this ball from me, ‘” Ware said.

Up next: The Broncos can secure a first-round bye in the playoffs with a win over San Diego (4-11) at home, but a loss could possibly hand over the AFC West title to the Chiefs, who have won nine consecutive games. The result: They earn the AFC’s top seed with a win over the Chargers and a Patriots loss at Miami the final week.

“We flip-flopped things”, Osweiler told ESPN’s Lisa Salters about the offensive improvement in the second half.

McCarron’s performance in the opening half was enough to reassure Cincinnati that it can still win in the playoffs if Dalton’s unavailable. But if we get the team from the second half of the Steelers game and the first half of the Bengals game, the Broncos aren’t going anywhere of importance. DeMarcus Ware fell on the ball to end the game. “I looked up to see the coverage and the snap caught me by surprise”.

Andy Dalton has been recovering from a thumb injury for more than two weeks, and now AJ McCarron has a wrist sprain.

But when Mike Nugent banged out a 52-yard field goal with 6:51 left in regulation, that tied the score at 17, and McManus’s disgusting shank miss from 45 yards out with four seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime.

In three preseason appearances for the Bengals this year, Wenning completed only six of his 13 passes for 44 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.

The Bengals, who have already clinched the AFC North, had AJ McCarron finish with 200 yards on the back of 22 of 35 passing. “Overtime, game-winning field goals, blocked field goals, strips, fumble recoveries”. “It was a hard-fought game”.

As for the rest of the conference, we now have a much clearer picture of how things stand, and what the various scenarios are.

Booed off their field as they trailed by 11 points, the Broncos exited the bitter cold – at 16 degrees it represented their third-coldest home game – and returned fast and furious. As the Bengals started moving the ball at will on Monday, Denver’s defence suddenly stiffened. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the second season in a row and joined fellow WR Demaryius Thomas (1,187 yards receiving) in achieving the milestone. The Broncos won 20-17 in overtime. “Once you get there, it’s about how you play, not really where you play, but… we’ve got a great opportunity this weekend”.

“It just leaves all the “what ifs” out there”, safety Reggie Nelson said.

However, the Broncos’ defense again forced a punt.

Brock led an impressive 14 point comeback against the Patriots and Bengals. Cincinnati missed a chance to go up even more when Nugent was wide right with a 45-yard field-goal try late in the second quarter. Then McManus missed the kick at the gun.

Osweiler hurt his elbow on one of Carlos Dunlap’s three sacks.

Denver running back C.J. Anderson added a 39-yard touchdown run.

NOTES: TE Tyler Eifert (concussion) was among the Bengals’ inactive players. There’s basically no turning back now.