Burrow throws 3-yard TD pass to Higgins in OT as the Bengals beat the Broncos 30-24

CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Burrow threw his third touchdown pass to Tee Higgins with 1:07 left in overtime, and the Cincinnati Bengals kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a wild 30-24 win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday.

Following a Broncos punt, Burrow completed a 31-yard pass to Higgins to the Denver 3, then went back to the lanky receiver for the game-ending play. Higgins finished with 11 receptions for 131 yards.

Cade York had a chance to win it for the Bengals with about three minutes left in overtime, but his 33-yard field goal bounced off the left upright. Denver then went three-and-out, including a Bo Nix incompletion on third down, handing the ball right back to Cincinnati (8-8).

It was the Bengals' first win this season against a team with a winning record. They need another victory in their final game at Pittsburgh and some help from other teams to make it to the postseason for the first time since 2022.

The Broncos (9-7) would have secured an AFC wild card with a victory over the Bengals. They'll have another opportunity to earn a postseason berth when they host Kansas City next weekend.

Burrow continued his stellar season, going 39 for 49 for 412 yards and three touchdowns, all to Higgins. Ja’Marr Chase finished with nine receptions for 102 yards.

Burrow has at least 250 yards passing and three touchdowns in eight straight games, extending his NFL record.

Burrow's 1-yard touchdown run gave Cincinnati a 24-17 lead with 1:29 left in regulation. On the play before Burrow's TD, Chase Brown hurt his right ankle on what appeared to be an awkward slide while going down in what looked like an effort to help the Bengals run out the remaining time.

Brown's injury stopped the clock, and Nix threw a spectacular 25-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Marvin Mims Jr. for the tying score with 8 seconds left.

Nix was 24 for 31 for 219 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Mims finished with eight catches for 103 yards and two TDs.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Cedric Johnson (52) sacks Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (38) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither (59) during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) makes a catch for a touchdown in front of Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Josh Newton (28) during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) celebrates a touchdown with running back Audric Estime (23) against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) cuts in from top Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Josh Newton (28) during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) makes a catch for a touchdown in front of Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (21) during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) tries to get past Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke (6) during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is having his prostate removed on Sunday, his office said, a procedure that comes as he manages multiple crises at once, including the ongoing war in Gaza and his own trial for alleged corruption.

Netanyahu, 75, is among a cohort of older world leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, 82, and President-elect Donald Trump, 78, whose health and physical fitness are under deep scrutiny both at home and abroad because of their advanced age and the effect that could have on their leadership.

Netanyahu, who has had a string of health issues in recent years, has gone to great lengths to bolster a public image of himself as a healthy, energetic leader. During his trial this month he boasted about working 18-hour days, even if those long hours are accompanied by a cigar. But as Israel's longest-serving leader, such a grueling workload over a total of 17 years in power could also take a toll on his well-being.

The procedure has already had a fallout: Netanyahu’s lawyer Amit Hadad said in a letter to the court the Israeli prime minister would be fully sedated for the procedure and would be hospitalized for “a number of days," asking that his three days of testimony this week be canceled. The court agreed.

Netanyahu's office said that Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close Netanyahu ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure.

With so much at stake in the turbulent region, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world.

According to Netanyahu’s office, the Israeli leader was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection on Wednesday stemming from a benign enlargement of his prostate. The infection was treated successfully with antibiotics but a procedure on Sunday will remove his prostate.

Complications from prostate enlargement are common in men in their 70s and 80s, Dr. Shay Golan, head of the oncology urology service at Israel’s Rabin Medical Center, told Israeli Army Radio. Golan spoke in general terms about the procedure and was not involved in Netanyahu's care or treatment.

He said that an enlarged prostate can block proper emptying of the bladder, leading to a build-up of urine that can then lead to an infection or other complications. After medicinal treatment, doctors can recommend a procedure to remove the prostate to prevent future blockages, Golan said.

In Netanyahu’s case, because the prostate is not cancerous, Golan said doctors will likely perform an endoscopic surgery, which is carried out by inserting small instruments into a body cavity, rather than making any surgical cuts in the abdomen to reach the prostate.

The procedure lasts about an hour, Golan said, and recovery is quick. Golan also said that aside from catheter use for one to three days after the procedure, patients can return to normal activity without any significant limitations.

Netanyahu insists he is in excellent health and his office has worked to craft a public image that backs that up. It releases footage of him touring war zones in full protective gear flanked by gruff military officers, or meeting with defense officials on windswept hilltops in youthful dark shades and puffer jackets.

But that image was shattered last year when Netanyahu’s doctors revealed that he had a heart condition, a problem that he had apparently long known about but concealed from the public.

A week after a fainting spell, Netanyahu was urgently fitted with a pacemaker to control his heartbeat. Only then did staff at the Sheba Medical Center reveal that Netanyahu has for years experienced a condition that can cause irregular heartbeats.

That revelation came at a time when Netanyahu was dealing with massive anti-government protests. The news about a chronic heart problem stoked further anger and distrust at a time of extreme political polarization in Israel.

Last year, Netanyahu was rushed to the hospital for what doctors said likely was dehydration, where he stayed overnight, prompting his weekly Cabinet meeting to be delayed.

Earlier this year, Netanyahu underwent hernia surgery, during which he was under full anesthesia and unconscious. His close confidant, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, served as acting prime minister during the operation.

As Israel’s leader, Netanyahu is at the center of major global events that are shifting the Middle East. With the dizzying pace of the past 14 months, being incapacitated for even a few hours can be risky in the current regional maelstrom.

Netanyahu will be in hospital at a time when international mediators are pushing Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in Gaza as violence there rages on and fighting between Israel and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels intensifies.

The health issue also shines a new light on Netanyahu’s age. Prostate issues are common and in many cases easily treatable. But they are prominent especially among older men.

The procedure puts a dent in Netanyahu’s image of vigor at a time when he would want to project strength more than ever, both to an Israeli audience navigating constant threats as well as to Israel's enemies looking to expose Israel's weaknesses.

FILE - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem, Dec. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, Pool, File)