A 1-2 start wasn't what the Denver Broncos envisioned. But after a dominant 28-3 win over the Bengals on Monday night, the Broncos are riding high. It turns out that a porous Bengals defense and an offense featuring Jake Browning and Cincinnati's offensive line is just what the doctor ordered. For the second straight week, a Bengals team playing without injured quarterback Joe Burrow provided a get-right game for a team previously dealing with a disappointing start to their season. A Broncos team touted as a preseason AFC West contender entered Monday's game with consecutive losses to the Colts and Chargers that came down to the wire. There was no fourth-quarter drama Monday. A defense that projects among the league's best teed off on a tepid Bengals offense that couldn't move the ball. Denver's offense, meanwhile, rode a 233-yard second quarter against a largely ineffective Bengals defense to a 21-3 halftime lead. [Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7] The Bengals gave themselves a glimmer of hope with a fourth-down interception of Bo Nix in the end zone just inside the first-half two-minute warning that kept the score at 14-3. But Cincinnati's offense didn't manage to run out the clock before halftime, much less cut Denver's lead to one possession. The Bengals punted back to the Broncos after a three-and-out possession that took 49 seconds off the clock, giving the Broncos a second chance at a score to end the half. This time, they delivered. Denver marched 80 yards in 1:01 on a touchdown drive capped by a 20-yard strike from Nix to Courtland Sutton in the end zone. .@SuttonCourtland's really like that. 🙌📺: ABCpic.twitter.com/bMPUGqg1iZ — Denver Broncos (@Broncos)September 30, 2025 And that was the ball game. There was nothing from the Bengals' offense to indicate that they could mount a comeback from an 18-point deficit. And they didn't. Denver punted on its first two possessions of the second half. But the Bengals kept punting right back, and the Broncos were able to salt the game away without resistance. For the Broncos, it allowed them to get back into the AFC West conversation at 2-2, tied with theChiefsand a game behind the 3-1 first-place Chargers. For the Bengals, it was a similar script to Week 3, when they allowed a Vikings team fresh off a 22-6 loss to the Falcons to deliver a 48-10 beatdown. That was Cincinnati's first game since Burrow went down with a long-term toe injury and its first loss of the season. The Bengals now own the most hopeless 2-2 record in football with little to indicate that they can keep the ship afloat for any sort of late-season Burrow return. These Bengals are the team that you want to see on your schedule next week. Congratulations in Week 5 are in order for the Detroit Lions. The offensive weapons projected to lead the Bengals into contention were once again deemed moot Monday night. Ja'Marr Chase tallied five catches for 23 yards. Tee Higgins caught three for 32. Chase Brown posted 71 total yards from scrimmage. Denver's defense repeatedly got pressure on Browning and sacked him three times. The Bengals advanced into Broncos territory just once, on their opening possession. They punted eight times, four of which came after three-and-outs. Against the Bengals defense, the Broncos offense looked like world beaters. They rolled to a 513-159 advantage in total yards. They averaged 6.5 yards per play against 3.7 for the Bengals. Nix threw for 326 yards. J.K. Dobbins ran for 101. Five different Broncos receivers either matched or surpassed Higgins' team-high tally of 32 receiving yards. It was exactly the type of game the Broncos needed after a slow start to the season. They'll look to carry that momentum into a Week 5 matchup against the 4-0 and reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles. That was a complete beatdown by the Broncos. Bo Nix threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, and J.K. Dobbins had 101 rushing yards on 16 carries. The Bengals, on the other hand, had nothing going. They had more penalties than first downs, and didn't have a single play in Denver territory after their first drive of the night. They gave up more than 500 total yards, too. Both teams now sit at 2-2 on the season. The Broncos will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles next week, while the Bengals will try to regroup against the Detroit Lions at home next weekend. Thanks to a pretty solid night from Tua Tagovailoa theMiami Dolphins have their first win of the season. Tagovailoa threw for a pair of touchdowns, and De'Von Achane racked up 99 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, to lift the Dolphins to the seven-point win. Darren Waller had a pair of touchdown grabs, too. The tough part for Miami, though, is that they lost star wide receiver Tyreek Hill to a horrific knee injury. While we're still waiting on specifics — early reports believe that he dislocated his left knee — he'll likely be out for a very significant amount of time. The Dolphins, now 1-3, will take on the Carolina Panthers next weekend in North Carolina. The Jets, now 0-4, will host the Dallas Cowboys next weekend. RJ Harvey just hauled in a wide open 12-yard touchdown grab to push the Broncos' lead. The Bengals defense was completely flat on that drive, and could do absolutely nothing to stop Denver from moving down the field. All day,@rjharvey07‼️📺: ABCpic.twitter.com/mJX74bI3DS — Denver Broncos (@Broncos)September 30, 2025 J.K. Dobbins hit 100 yards on the ground there, too. That's something the Broncos haven't had in a very long time. J.K. Dobbins is the first 100-yard rusher for the@Broncosin the last 38 gamesCINvsDEN on ABCStream on@NFLPlusand ESPN Apppic.twitter.com/ObRtdMIIf2 — NFL (@NFL)September 30, 2025 Honestly, this isn't a bad fantasy decision. The Bengals haven't been able to get anything done offensively, and just had to punt it back to the Broncos after two incompletions and a sack. New strategy:Pick up every D/ST scheduled to play the Bengals — Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy)September 30, 2025 Well, that was step one. The Bengals defense just forced a punt just a few minutes into the fourth quarter. So Jake Browning and the Cincinnati offense will take the field again down by 18. They need to make a move, and fast. The Broncos have largely dominated this game, and they are driving now near midfield at the end of the third. If the Bengals can't get a stop here quickly, and then finally put some offense together, this thing is over The Bengals had a great start to that drive — Jake Browning hit Andre Iosivas for a 22-yard gain on their first play out — but it quickly stalled. They just punted it away, so Denver will take back over from its own 8 yard line. The Broncos lead 21-3 with 2:53 left in the third. The Broncos aren't putting the Bengals away just yet. That's two Broncos punts in two second-half possessions, and Denver maintains a 21-3 lead. But there's little from Cincinnati's offense to indicate that it's going to lead a comeback. Denver's defense teed off on third-and-2, and Jake Browning didn't stand a chance. Browning was lucky to get rid of the ball on a Broncos blitz, and the Bengals have punted yet again after a panicked incomplete pass. The Dolphins recovered the onside kick attempt, and that should do it. They'll run out the last 1:49 and escape with their first win of the season. Garrett Wilson wentthroughRasul Douglas to make an absolutely ridiculous touchdown grab just now. What an incredible catch. Jump ball to Garrett Wilson for the TD!NYJvsMIA on ESPNStream on@NFLPlusand ESPN Apppic.twitter.com/IX89Wssx5d — NFL (@NFL)September 30, 2025 The Jets went for two points and got it easily, so it's 27-21 now with 1:49 left. Denver punted on the first possession of the second half. Can the Bengals mount any kind of offense to make this a game? More bad news for the Bengals. The Broncos have the ball first after halftime and a 21-3 lead. Riley Patterson just hit a short 36-yard pitch shot to put the Dolphins back up by 14, and we're just about done here. The Jets will get the ball back with 3:33 left. The Broncos are in full control as Cincinnati's hobbled offense has nothing to offer against a stout Denver defense. The Broncos recovered from a Bo Nix red-zone interception to score a touchdown before the half less than 2 minutes after the turnover. The Bengals, meanwhile, continue to look lost without injured starting quarterback Joe Burrow. BroncosBo Nix: 17 of 26 for 217 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 2 carries for 9 yards, 1 TDJ.K. Dobbins: 5 carries for 30 yardsCourtland Sutton: 5 catches for 81 yards, 1 TDMarvin Mims: 3 catches for 44 yards: 1 carry for 16 yards, 1 TD BengalsJake Browning: 8 for 15 for 66 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTsChase Brown: 8 carries for 30 yardsJa'Marr Chase: 3 catches for 15 yardsTee Higgins: 2 catches for 25 yards Broncos team stats305 yards on 7.3 yards per play, 1 turnover Bengals team stats94 yards on 3.5 yards per play, 0 turnovers Given a second chance to score inside the 2-minute warning, the Broncos capitalized. Denver drove 80 yards in 1:01 after a Bengals 3-and-out and capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix to Courtland Sutton. Denver leads, 21-3 and is in full control with 8 seconds left before halftime. .@SuttonCourtland's really like that. 🙌📺: ABCpic.twitter.com/bMPUGqg1iZ — Denver Broncos (@Broncos)September 30, 2025 Cincinnati took 49 seconds off the clock and punted back to the Broncos after another 3-and-out with 1:09 remaining in the half. The Broncos have another chance to score before the break. After Garrett Wilson's touchdown was called back, the Jets had to settle for a 50-yard field goal. They trail by 11 now with 13:09 left, and will need a quick stop here if they're going to get back into it. The Bengals just came up with a goal-line stand and will start their next possession at the 20-yard line instead of backed up to the end zone. Bo Nix rolled and and threw an off-target pass into traffic in the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the 2. Linebacker Demetrius Knight picked it off and landed in the end zone for a touchback. A big Bengals stop just inside the 2-minute warning. 1ST CAREER INT FOR D KNIGHT ‼️📺:#CINvsDENon ABCpic.twitter.com/u8tCwulh6D — Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals)September 30, 2025 Garrett Wilson made a sensational catch and tapped his toes in the end zone for what looked like a Jets touchdown. But he got a hand on his defender before the catch and got called for offensive pass interference for a push-off just before the catch. Sometimes this is called. Sometimes it's not. Unfortunately for the Jets, it was called this time. Garrett Wilson's TD was wiped off the board for Offensive Pass Interference.Should this have been OPI? 🤔pic.twitter.com/bk1Xe0O51D — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints)September 30, 2025
