With so much at stake as far as possible playoff hopes go, the Cincinnati Bengals struggled to make anything work for most of Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Most.
That Week 15 game featured major injuries and hiccups from offensive weapons and defenders alike, which let a Vikings team starting its fourth quarterback of the season pretty much dominate the pace of the game and ultimately the result.
Until the end. The Bengals stormed back from 14-3 to force overtime, then got a stunning fourth-down stop there, only to steal the game on their next offensive drive.
Given the injuries and what the win means to the playoff hopes with just three games left, it’s safe to say there were plenty of notable reactions from after the game.
Here’s a sampling of some of those from right after the game went final.
3rd and 21 to Chase
Game tying TD to Tee Higgins
Game winning 3rd down to Tyler Boyd pic.twitter.com/9C98SJLPow— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) December 16, 2023
We’ve got one long receipt list 🥱 pic.twitter.com/idgJkP34HU
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 16, 2023
Today is a perfect example of where Zac is a really good HC and where he has room to grow. This team lost Joe Burrow and didn't give up. This team loses DJ Reader & Chase and doesn't give up. Zac has some poor play calling and in game decisions at times but the team never stops.
— DarthNoobSaibot (@DarthNoobSaibot) December 16, 2023
It is Jake Browning's world. https://t.co/RfyWjvVRHt
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 16, 2023
If the story is that you can't take bad QB days against the Vikings seriously, what does that say about Jake Browning?
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 16, 2023
Jake Browning becomes the first @Bengals quarterback to win 3 of his first 4 starts since Boomer Esiason in 1984 and Cincy is flat-out in the playoff race without Joe Burrow.
Go figure.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) December 16, 2023
What a day for Zac Taylor, Brian Callahan and Dan Pitcher. Wild what they’ve done with Jake Browning to keep Cincy in this thing — 324 yards, 2 TD vs. a Brian Flores defense that’s been smashing offenses.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) December 16, 2023
I’ve been to a ton of games in this stadium and that might have been one of the best non-playoff or primetime atmospheres I’ve seen
— Blake Jewell (@BlakeJewellNFL) December 16, 2023
What a fun game. Wasn’t brownings finest game, but he willed them to a win.
Kids a gamer.
— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) December 16, 2023
This is more fun than hoping they lose so they have a higher draft pick IMO.
— Mo Egger (@MoEgger) December 16, 2023
