DENVER _ The Broncos ran their home winning streak to seven Monday night with their Mile High mastery of prime time taking down the Bengals, 28-3, at Empower Field at Mile High.
The Cincinnati defense allowed only a touchdown in the second half, but the Broncos defense gave up nothing after allowing Bengals kicker Evan McPherson a chip-shot field on the game's first drive.
Denver's NFL-leading pass rush limited Bengals quarterback Jake Browning to a completion percentage hovering around 50 and wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins couldn't get untracked on a night they combined for eight catches and 55 yards.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix piloted the Denver offense to over 500 yards, accounting for 326 of them on 29 of 42 passing.
The Broncos racked up 305 yards in the first half with Nix not getting sacked on his 26 passes, 17 of which he completed for 217 yards. He zipped the last one of the half over the middle for a 20-yard touchdown to wide receiver Courtland Sutton with eight seconds left for a 21-3 halftime lead.
It capped a tough 14-0 quarter for the Bengals. Down 7-3, Browning's 36-yard pass to Higgins down the right sideline put them on the Denver 14. But it was wiped away on an illegal formation penalty, one of eight flags in the first half.
The Bengals got a terrific red-zone stand as the clock wound down to two minutes in the first half. On third-and-one from the Bengals 2, cornerback Dax Hill fought off a block from left tackle Garett Boles to dump running back R.J. Harvey on a jet sweep for no gain.
On fourth down, linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. came up with his first NFL interception, tipping it to himself and rolling to the Bengals' fourth no-score in the red zone this season.
NOTES
12-Play Opening Drive Produces Early Lead
Browning and the offense engineered a 12-play, 62-yard drive out of the gate that ended with a 26-yard field goal from Evan McPherson to give Cincinnati a quick 3-0 lead. Browning completed five of seven passes for 43 yards during the drive, including a 19-yard connection with Tee Higgins on a third-and-six at midfield.
It marked the Bengals' second opening drive that resulted in points this season, as Cincinnati kicked off Week 1 at Cleveland with a 12-play touchdown march.
McPherson now has made 37 consecutive field goals from inside 45 yards.
Knight's First Career Pick Comes on Fourth Down
Demetrius Knight Jr. recorded his first career interception late in the second quarter, when he picked off Nix's pass in the end zone on fourth-and-one from the Bengals' two-yard line. On the previous play, cornerback Dax Hill tracked down Denver running back RJ Harvey on the perimeter to force the fourth down.
Knight logged four interceptions during his college career, with three coming in 2023 while playing at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and one last year while at South Carolina.
Chase Continues to Climb Record Books
Chase hauled in five receptions Monday, bringing his total to 421 for his career. That pushes him above Ring of Honor member Isaac Curtis and Cris Collinsworth on the all-time franchise receptions list.
Extra Points
- Rookie Jalen Rivers made his first career start at right guard.
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