Denver — The Denver Broncos ended Week 4's Monday Night Football doubleheader with a statement: a 28-3 home rout of the Cincinnati Bengals in a game that never showed signs of being close.
Cincinnati opened with a crisp 12-play, 62-yard drive capped by a 26-yard Evan McPherson field goal. That would be the last time the Bengals put points on the scoreboard. Denver's defense took over from there, leaving both teams at 2-2 on the season.
Nix's confidence-building night
Bo Nix delivered a three-total-touchdown performance that offered the sophomore quarterback some much-needed confidence. He threw for 326 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 29-of-42 completions, and also ran one in himself. Fullback Adam Prentice powered home the other score from four yards out.
While the Bengals' defense may not scare elite teams, this was a game Nix needed to dominate — and for the most part, he did, bouncing back from what has been a mostly inconsistent start to the year.
Bengals' QB1 problem deepens
With star quarterback Joe Burrow reportedly set to miss at least three months with a toe injury requiring surgery, Cincinnati's backup situation looks dire. Jake Browning threw for just 125 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions on 14-of-25 completions while taking three sacks.
The damage was most visible at the receiver positions. Tee Higgins led the Bengals with only three catches for 32 yards, while Ja'Marr Chase managed five catches for just 23 yards — two of the league's best wideouts completely bottled up without their quarterback.
With the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers up next, questions are mounting about whether Browning keeps the job and whether head coach Zac Taylor can keep the season alive.
Sources:
NBC Sports Philadelphia: Takeaways as Broncos rout Bengals 28-3 on Monday Night Football
Cincinnati opened with a crisp 12-play, 62-yard drive capped by a 26-yard Evan McPherson field goal. That would be the last time the Bengals put points on the scoreboard. Denver's defense took over from there, leaving both teams at 2-2 on the season.
Nix's confidence-building night
Bo Nix delivered a three-total-touchdown performance that offered the sophomore quarterback some much-needed confidence. He threw for 326 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 29-of-42 completions, and also ran one in himself. Fullback Adam Prentice powered home the other score from four yards out.
While the Bengals' defense may not scare elite teams, this was a game Nix needed to dominate — and for the most part, he did, bouncing back from what has been a mostly inconsistent start to the year.
Bengals' QB1 problem deepens
With star quarterback Joe Burrow reportedly set to miss at least three months with a toe injury requiring surgery, Cincinnati's backup situation looks dire. Jake Browning threw for just 125 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions on 14-of-25 completions while taking three sacks.
The damage was most visible at the receiver positions. Tee Higgins led the Bengals with only three catches for 32 yards, while Ja'Marr Chase managed five catches for just 23 yards — two of the league's best wideouts completely bottled up without their quarterback.
With the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers up next, questions are mounting about whether Browning keeps the job and whether head coach Zac Taylor can keep the season alive.
Sources:
NBC Sports Philadelphia: Takeaways as Broncos rout Bengals 28-3 on Monday Night Football
