Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) reaches for the end zone to score a touchdown over Minnesota Vikings cornerback Akayleb Evans of an NFL game Saturda in Cincinnati.
AP photo
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Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon celebrates his rushing touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half of an NFL game Saturday in Cincinnati.
AP photo
CINCINNATI — Tee Higgins made a savvy goal-line move to score a touchdown and force overtime and Evan McPherson made a 29-yard field goal to seal a 27-24 victory Saturday for Cincinnati over the Minnesota Vikings, keeping the Bengals’ playoff hopes alive even with their star quarterback out for the season.
Higgins caught a 21-yard pass from Jake Browning with under a minute remaining and pulled off an acrobatic move to stretch the ball over the goal line and tie the game at 24.
In overtime, a 44-yard catch by Tyler Boyd and a 4-yard run from Joe Mixon made it an easy chip shot for McPherson to win the game with 3:11 remaining.
The Bengals (8-6) had taken over at their 41-yard line after stopping the Vikings (7-7) on fourth-and-short.
Cincinnati erased a 17-3 Minnesota lead with its two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Browning was 29 for 42 for 324 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He completed passes to 11 different receivers.
Mullens, the fourth quarterback to start a game this season for the Vikings, passed for 303 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Backup running back Ty Chandler had a career-high 132 rushing yards and a touchdown for Minnesota.
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 and was declared out. … WR Ja’Marr Chase went out with a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Vikings: Host the Lions on Sunday, Dec. 24.
Bengals: At Pittsburgh next Saturday.
Cincinnati 27, Minnesota 24, OT
Minnesota`7`0`10`7`0`— 24
Cincinnati`3`0`0`21`3`— 27
First Quarter
Cin_FG McPherson 34, 8:41.
Min_Chandler 1 run (Joseph kick), 2:23.
Third Quarter
Min_Addison 37 pass from Mullens (Joseph kick), 10:46.
Min_FG Joseph 39, 4:32.
Fourth Quarter
Cin_Higgins 13 pass from Browning (McPherson kick), 14:56.
Cin_Mixon 1 run (McPherson kick), 7:46.
Min_Addison 1 pass from Mullens (Joseph kick), 3:48.
Cin_Higgins 21 pass from Browning (McPherson kick), :39.
First Overtime
Cin_FG McPherson 29, 3:11.
A_66,376.
`Min`Cin
First downs`24`22
Total Net Yards`424`378
Rushes-yards`30-143`22-80
Passing`281`298
Punt Returns`4-22`3-18
Kickoff Returns`1-14`0-0
Interceptions Ret.`1-1`2-16
Comp-Att-Int`26-34-2`29-42-1
Sacked-Yards Lost`3-22`5-26
Punts`3-50.6`4-48.0
Fumbles-Lost`0-0`1-0
Penalties-Yards`4-22`3-26
Time of Possession`33:41`33:08
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING_Minnesota, Chandler 23-132, Mullens 6-10, Nwangwu 1-1. Cincinnati, Mixon 10-47, C.Brown 7-23, T.Williams 1-10, Browning 4-0.
PASSING_Minnesota, Mullens 26-33-2-303, Jefferson 0-1-0-0. Cincinnati, Browning 29-42-1-324.
RECEIVING_Minnesota, Jefferson 7-84, Addison 6-111, Hockenson 6-63, Chandler 3-25, Oliver 2-14, Mundt 1-3, Osborn 1-3. Cincinnati, Hudson 5-49, Chase 4-64, Higgins 4-61, C.Brown 3-28, Mixon 3-14, Boyd 2-53, Wilcox 2-20, I.Smith 2-18, C.Jones 2-10, Iosivas 1-5, T.Williams 1-2.
MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.