CINCINNATI — Trailing 17-3 late in the third quarter behind an offense that had struggled to move the ball, the Bengals needed Jake Browning to be nearly perfect — and he was.
Browning led Cincinnati to three fourth-quarter touchdowns and directed the winning drive in overtime in his latest extraordinary performance since taking over for the injured Joe Burrow, and the Bengals beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 on Saturday to improve their position in the playoff race.
Browning won his third straight start and improved to 3-1 since Burrow suffered a season-ending right wrist injury in a loss at Baltimore. This time, he threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and overtime, becoming the fourth QB in the past two years to throw for at least that many yards and two or more scores after three quarters.
"I feel like I need a beer," said Browning, who beat a team that cut him from its practice squad two years ago.
Tee Higgins went high over a Vikings defender to catch a 16-yard pass from Browning and make a twisting move at the goal line for the tying touchdown with 39 seconds left in regulation.
Then, in overtime, a scrambling Browning found Tyler Boyd for a 44-yard completion that got Cincinnati (8-6) into Vikings territory and set up Evan McPherson's game-ending 29-yard field goal.
"Jake's just so steady, you know?" Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. "He really is. He doesn't get rattled by a negative play. He doesn't overreact to it."
Browning was 29 for 42 for 324 yards with two touchdowns — both to Higgins — and an interception. He completed passes to 11 receivers and has a 110.9 passer rating in his four starts..
Nick Mullens, the fourth quarterback to start a game this season for the Vikings, was solid in defeat. He passed for 303 yards with two TDs but threw two interceptions.
"An absolute grind of a football game," Mullens said. "But those are the types of games you want to be in."
Minnesota (7-7) has lost three of four, the only win in that stretch a 3-0 decision at Las Vegas that led to Joshua Dobbs being benched in favor of Mullens, who had more success finding the Vikings' playmakers.
Jordan Addison had six catches for 111 yards and two TDs. Justin Jefferson had seven receptions for 84 yards in his first full game since returning from a hamstring injury. He suffered a chest injury in the Raiders game.
"Nick did a fantastic job today," Jefferson said. "Especially with just a week of preparation of him being the starting quarterback. I feel like he came out today with confidence."
Backup Ty Chandler had a career-high 132 rushing yards and a touchdown for Minnesota. Chandler got the start in place of Alexander Mattison, who has a sprained ankle.
With five teams a half-game behind them in the NFC standings, the Vikings could be out of playoff position by the end of the weekend.
"Very unfortunate," Minnesota coach Kevin O'Connell said. "Come on the road and battle a team that's playing well right now. Felt like we let one slip away."
TAKE THAT
The Vikings let Browning go from their practice squad in 2021. The Bengals picked him up for their practice squad, and he won the job as Burrow's backup before this season.
"I think right after we made the field goal and won the game, I screamed at camera and said, 'They never should have cut me,'" Browning said.
LATE-GAME HEROICS
Browning took over the game late in the third quarter, throwing seven straight completions during a 75-yard drive for the Bengals' first touchdown, a 13-yard strike to Higgins.
On the Bengals' next possession, Browning hit Ja'Marr Chase for 24 yards to convert a third-and-21. Joe Mixon's 1-yard TD run on fourth-and-goal tied the game at 17-all.
Minnesota pushed back in front on Addison's second TD catch of the game before Browning and Higgins found a way to tie it.
Higgins finished with four catches for 61 yards.
"All I can say is, we always count on Tee Higgins," Taylor said. "Tee stepped up big for us, and those were two big touchdowns that he scored for us at the end of the game, and he also made some bigger catches across the middle at other points."
INJURIES
Bengals: DT DJ Reader suffered an injury to his right leg early in the game and was declared out. ... CB DJ Ivey left in the first quarter with a knee injury. ... Chase went out with a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Vikings: Host Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 24.
Bengals: At Pittsburgh next Saturday.
Vikings lose to Bengals in OT 27-24
The Minnesota Vikings are now 7-7 after a walk-off FG kick from Bengals' Evan McPherson in overtime.
Game heads into OT
After a shocking fourth quarter, the Vikings and Bengals are heading into overtime, tied 24-all.
Higgins makes improbable TD catch with :39 left in Q4
Bengals WR Tee Higgins pulls some "Matrix"-level ballet moves at the edge of the endzone, waving the ball over the pylon to help tie up the game, again, with about a half-minute left in the fourth quarter.
Mullens throws precarious pass to Addison for stunning TD
Seconds after the Bengals tie it up, QB Nick Mullens throws across his body to rookie WR Jordan Addison for a TD, putting the Vikes back into the driver's seat with a seven-point lead.
Mixon TD helps Bengals tie it up
The Bengals get two straight drives, and RB Joe Mixon muscles into the endzone on a 4th-and-goal TD. The game is all tied up with six minutes left on the clock.
Bengals back in the game after Higgins' Q4 TD
QB Jake Browning throws to WR Tee Higgins early in the fourth quarter for the Bengals' first TD of the game. Vikes 17, Bengals 10.
Joseph's FG gives Vikes 14-point lead to end Q3
Back-to-back scoring drives lead to Greg Joseph splitting the uprights at the end of the third quarter, increasing the Vikings' lead by three points. Vikes 17, Bengals 3.
Browning throws interception
Bengals QB Jake Browning throws an interception with five minutes left in the third quarter, caught by Vikings CB Akayleb Evans.
Addison's TD catch gives Vikings 11-point lead
In the opening drive of the second half, WR Jordan Addison catches a 37-yard pass from GQ Nick Mullens to give the Vikings their second TD of the game. Vikes 14, Bengals 3.
Vikings still up 7-3 going into halftime after bizarre interception
Vikings QB Nick Mullens is sacked twice in back-to-back plays with less than a minute on the clock in the first half. After the second sack, the ball fumbles into the lap of Bengals defensive tackle BJ Hill, leading to Mullens' second intersection of the game.
Mullens throws first interception as Vikings QB
Bengals' Mike Hilton gets a red zone interception, destroying a solid drive by Vikings QB Nick Mullens with four minutes left in the first half.
Bengals' Ivey also out with knee injury
Cornerback DJ Ivey is the second Bengal, and second DJ, to leave Saturday's game with a right knee injury.
Vikings take 7-3 lead
Nick Mullens throws to Ty Chandler for the Vikings' first first-quarter touchdown since week 5. They're now up four points over the Bengals.
Bengals take 3-point lead; DJ Reader out
Evan McPherson kicked a field goal after the opening possession to give the Bengals a 3-0 lead.
Defense tackle DJ Reader was carted off the field after suffering an apparent injury to his right knee.