CINCINNATI -- The Denver Broncos have watched their postseason margin for error erode significantly after the past two weeks, the latest blow was a 30-24 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night in Paycor Stadium.
And a team that had three games to win one to end its current eight-year playoff drought just weeks ago and then had two games to win one, now has just one to get an increasingly elusive 10th win. The Broncos (9-7), barring help from the other AFC playoff hopefuls, now must win their regular-season finale next weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs to secure the AFC's seventh and final playoff spot.
"This is what we do it for, meaningful games, think it's important you embrace it," Broncos coach Sean Payton said. " ... Nothing worse than playing games the last part of the season when there's nothing at stake ... [the] message doesn't change, you've got to get to 10."
"We could have taken control of that game a lot earlier ... but if you let guys like Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins stay around they're probably going to figure out a way to punch your ticket," Broncos tackle Mike McGlinchey said. " ... We've got to be able to close that one out -- yeah, it sucks."
McGlinchey's assessment was echoed throughout an openly frustrated Broncos locker room. The lost opportunity of the evening was not lost on anyone involved.
The Broncos had a chance in the closing minutes of regulation, with the game tied 17-17, to close out a game-winning drive, but quarterback Bo Nix threw an interception in Bengals territory with 2 minutes, 30 seconds left to play.
Asked what he saw on the play, Nix said: "A lot of jerseys, tried to force one in there, it happens."
However, the Broncos answered the Bengals' score that followed the turnover to pull to 24-23 on a ridiculous touchdown grab by Marvin Mims Jr. between two Bengals defenders on a fourth-and-1 play with eight seconds to play in regulation. Nix quickly held up two fingers after the play, meaning to go for the 2-point conversion and the win, but after some deliberation as the play was reviewed by the officials, Payton sent out kicker Wil Lutz for the extra point instead.
"I'm going to answer this now, going for two, we knew a tie, for us, was just as beneficial as a win," Payton said following the game. "We felt like we had the momentum at that point, Look, it went back and forth, and in the end we didn't make enough plays and they did ... We discussed it all, [there was] plenty of time, plenty of time, plenty of time, and the decision we made is the right one."
"Well, me, I have no decision-making [power], so I'm always going for two, but at the end of the day that's not always the wisest decision," Nix said. " ... They thought it out and processed it and it was better at that point to kick and play for overtime ... It was a good decision."
The Broncos got yet another reprieve in overtime when Cade Ford's 33-yard field goal attempt, which would have ended the game, bounced off the left upright. The Broncos got the ball back in a sudden-death situation when the next score would win the game at their own 23-yard line with 2:43 left in overtime.
But they put together an awkward looking three-and-out, and Riley Dixon's punt went for just 38 yards. The Bengals then quickly pounced as Cincinnati went 63 yards in five plays, and Burrow hit Higgins for a 3-yard touchdown pass to end it.
"We had the opportunity, we just didn't capitalize," Mims said. " ... Offensively, we've just got to execute better."
"I don't think you ever want to be sitting here learning lessons through all these things," McGlinchey said. "We've got to turn ourselves into winners that when we control the outcome of certain things that we finish."
The Broncos won't know how the Chiefs (15-1), who have the AFC's No. 1 seed wrapped up, will handle things next weekend. There is a chance, despite the potential of a three-week layoff before a divisional round game, that some of Kansas City's front-line players don't play against the Broncos.
With a win, the Broncos would clinch the final AFC postseason spot. If the Broncos lose the finale, there is potential trouble given that the Bengals (8-8) now have a head-to-head win over Denver. And with two more wins, Miami (7-8) would finish with a better record in AFC games than the Broncos if Denver does not win the finale.
Broncos defensive end Zach Allen, who had a career-best 3.5 sacks in Saturday's loss, was asked after the game if he had any doubts about the Broncos' postseason chance given the team can still handle its own business with a win.
"No, nope, just get it done ... get back Monday and start the week and get it done against Kansas City," Allen said. "[It's] definitely a lot better to be in than last year, when you have a 5% chance and [have] to have Saturn and Mars align."