One week after surrendering the game-winning points on the final drive at Tennessee, the Bengals defense pitched a three-and-out when the Broncos took over with less than two minutes remaining.
The win snapped a 10-game losing streak in Denver dating back to 1975 and ended a two-game losing streak this season as the Bengals stayed within shouting distance of the playoff race at 4-6.
The Broncos (3-7) lost their sixth game in a row despite out-gaining the Bengals 341-190.
Both turnovers the Cincinnati defense forced set up the struggling offense with short fields, including Dre Kirkpatrick’s 87-yard interception return in the first quarter.
Kirkpatrick picked off Brock Osweiler’s pass intended for Dayton native Cody Latimer in the end zone and returned it to the Denver 11 before fumbling and falling on the ball at the Broncos 1.
Three plays later Andy Dalton hit Tyler Kroft for his first of three touchdown passes and an early 6-0 lead, which is where it stayed after Randy Bullock missed his second extra point in as many weeks.
The second turnover came in the fourth quarter with the Bengals clinging to a 13-10 lead despite the fact Denver had run more than twice as many plays and gainied more than twice as many yards.
Linebacker Vontaze Burfict’s hit on C.J. Anderson jarred the ball loose, and Shawn Williams fell on it at the Denver 44. Six plays later, Dalton hit A.J. Green for an 18-yard score to bump the lead to 20-10 with 8:56 left in the game.
The Broncos immediately answered after both short touchdown drives by the Bengals, taking a brief 7-6 lead in the first quarter and cutting the deficit to 20-17 on a Brock Osweiler 17-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas with 5:05 remaining.
After the offense couldn’t run out the clock, the Bengals defense got the key stop, fueled by a Carlos Dunlap sack on second down.
Dalton added a 29-yard touchdown pass to Alex Erickson with 12:55 left in the second quarter for a 13-7 lead. Erickson’s first career touchdown capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive.
The Bengals had only two other drives that gained more than 23 yards, and one that covered more than 34.
Dalton was 15 of 25 for 154 yards with the three touchdowns for a 117.3 rating.
Osweiler was 23 of 42 for 254 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The Bengals return home for the first time in four weeks Sunday when they play host to the winless Cleveland Browns.
SUNDAY’S GAME
Browns at Bengals, 1 p.m., WHIO-TV Ch. 7, 700, 1530, Ch. 12, 102.7, 104.7
About the Author