The Denver Broncos found themselves at the center of second-guessing controversy Saturday night after opting not to attempt a late-game two-point conversion against the Cincinnati Bengals to win the game. Instead, the team played it safe, tying the game 24-24 with 8 seconds left in regulation following a 25-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Bo Nix to Marvin Mims.

The extra point sent the game into overtime, where Joe Burrow took over, leading the Bengals to a 30-24 victory and keeping their playoff hopes alive. For the Broncos, the logic seemed sound on paper, as a tie vs. the Bengals would keep their playoff chances alive heading into the final game of the season, and a failed two-point attempt would have surely lost the game. NFL fans were less forgiving of the team’s logic, taking to social media to roast them for their conservativeness in such a big moment.

“Incredible touchdown, but the Broncos are cowards for not going for the two-point win. They had the momentum!” one fan wrote on X. Another added, “World-class job by the Broncos not taking advantage of any opportunity that game. JUST GO FOR TWO AT THE END UGH.”

The decision failed in hindsight when Joe Burrow produced a five-play, game-winning drive in overtime, capped by a three-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins after a 31-yard hookup with the same target earlier in the series. The Bengals are now one win away from clinching a playoff berth, showing the killer instinct fans wished the Broncos had displayed as Burrow continues to get nods for both the NFL MVP and Comeback Player of the Year awards, should he carry the Bengals into the playoffs.

After the game, Broncos coach Sean Payton said, “We spent some time thinking about going for two. We knew a tie was just as beneficial as a win. We felt like we had the momentum at that point. In the end, we didn’t make enough plays, [and] they did.” He then said the decision that the team made was “the right one.”

The Broncos now face a do-or-die scenario in Week 18 against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, who have locked up the top seed in the AFC with one game to spare weeks after securing their ninth consecutive AFC West title. Luckily for Denver, the Chiefs plan to rest key starters, including Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones, as they prepare for the divisional round of the playoffs.

Marvin Mims celebrates scoring

The Broncos didn’t attempt a 2 point conversion ( 

Image:

Getty)

“Sending Mahomes or Jones onto the field with injuries and the No. 1 seed locked up would be malpractice,” wrote John Dillon of Chiefs Wire. While the decision gives Denver a straightforward path to the postseason, it also shined the spotlight on their cautious approach against Cincinnati as their offense was rolling.

Outside of an interception, Nix’s TD pass to Mims came following two prior scoring drives. The rookie QB completed 24 passes for 219 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, compared to Burrow’s 412-yard, three-touchdown performance. Burrow’s Bengals will head into a season-defining clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers.