CINCINNATI (AP) — The Denver Broncos needed one win in their final three games to reach the playoffs for the first time since winning the Super Bowl in 2015. They are running out of chances.
The Broncos (9-7) fell short in an attempt to secure a postseason berth Saturday, falling 30-24 in overtime to the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) makes a catch in front of Cincinnati Bengals safety Geno Stone (22) for a touchdown 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) celebrates a touchdown with tight end Adam Trautman (82) against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) celebrates a touchdown with Denver Broncos tight end Lucas Krull (85) against the Cincinnati Bengals 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) is tackled by Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (21) after a touchdown during overtime of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) is chased out of bounds by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
After two straight losses, Denver needs a win in its final regular-season game, next week at home against the two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
“It’s been like this for two weeks,” Broncos quarterback Bo Nix said. “Just need to put everything in it to go win the game.”
The Broncos (still control their own destiny. Win next week and they're in with no outside help needed.
“Just get back in Monday, start the week over again and beat Kansas City,” Broncos defensive end Zach Allen said. “Obviously, we could have got it done two games ago. We should have got it done tonight. We'll be fine.”
The Broncos will face a Chiefs team that already clinched the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC and will likely rest their starters, especially with Patrick Mahomes nursing a high ankle sprain.
Denver lost 16-14 to the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 10. The Broncos were 5-5 after that loss.
“Need to turn the page and get ready for a really good team coming in the last game of the season,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said. “This is what we do it for, meaningful games. There's nothing worse than playing games the last part of the season where there's nothing at stake.”
The Broncos could have taken the importance out of next week's game with a win over the Bengals.
Nix tossed three game-tying touchdown passes in the second half, two to Marvin Mims Jr. who made a leaping grab between two defenders for a 24-yard TD to tie the score at 24 with eight seconds left.
The Broncos considered going for two points on the conversion, but Payton opted to kick the extra point and send the game into OT.
Nix held up two fingers after Mims' score.
“I definitely want the ball with a chance to win the game, but we had a chance to do that in overtime,” Nix said.
Denver could have nailed down a playoff berth with a tie, but punted twice in overtime, once after the Bengals missed a chance to win the game when Cade York's 33-yard field goal attempt hit the upright.
Joe Burrow tossed a 3-yard TD pass to Tee Higgins to win the game with 1:10 left to keep the Bengals' playoff hopes alive.
“We've got to turn ourselves into winners," Broncos right tackle Michael McGlinchey said. "We've got to make sure when we control the outcome of certain things, we need to finish. Cincinnati's a great football team. They played like their life was on the line today.”
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Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) makes a catch in front of Cincinnati Bengals safety Geno Stone (22) for a touchdown 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) celebrates a touchdown with tight end Adam Trautman (82) against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) celebrates a touchdown with Denver Broncos tight end Lucas Krull (85) against the Cincinnati Bengals 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) is tackled by Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (21) after a touchdown during overtime of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) is chased out of bounds by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks fell Monday as a strong year for the market looks set to end on a sour note.
The S&P 500 fell 0.8% in afternoon trading. Roughly 90% of stocks within the index lost ground. With just two days left in 2024, the benchmark index is still on track for its second straight yearly gain of more than 20%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 319 points, or 0.7%, as of 12:27 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.8%.
Big Tech companies were among the heaviest weights on the market, worsening the slump. Apple fell 1% and Microsoft fell 1.1%. Their pricey valuations tend to have an outsized impact on the broader market.
Boeing fell 1.8% after one of its jets skidded off a runway in South Korea, killing 179 of the 181 people aboard. South Korea is inspecting all 737-800 aircraft operated by airlines in the country.
The disaster was yet another blow for Boeing following a machinists strike, further safety problems with its troubled top-selling aircraft and a plunging stock price. Its shares have declined more than 30% this year.
Airlines wavered in the wake of the crash. United Airlines fell 1.2% and Delta Air Lines slipped 0.5%. American Airlines shook off an early loss and gained 1.4%. They all include Boeing aircraft as part of their fleets.
Bond yields fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.56% from 4.63% late Friday. The yield on the two-year Treasury fell to 4.26% from 4.33% late Friday.
Crude oil prices rose 1.2%. Energy stocks held up better than the rest of the market. The sector rose 0.4%, making it the only sector gaining ground within the S&P 500 index.
Natural gas prices jumped 10%. That helped support gains for natural gas producers. EQT Corp. rose 5.3%.
Indexes in Europe and Asia mostly fell.
Markets are nearing the close of a stellar year driven by a growing economy, solid consumer spending and a strong jobs market. Wall Street expects companies within the S&P 500 to report broad earnings growth of more than 9% for the year, according to FactSet. The final figures will be tallied following fourth-quarter reports that start in a few weeks.
Wall Street was encouraged by cooling inflation throughout the year that had brought the rate of inflation close to the Federal Reserve's 2% target. That raised hopes that the central bank would deliver a steady stream of interest rate cuts, which would ease borrowing costs and fuel more economic growth.
The Fed cut interest rates three times in 2024, but has signaled a more cautious approach heading into 2025 amid stubborn inflation and worries about it reheating. The latest report on consumer prices showed that inflation edged slightly higher, to 2.7%, in November.
Worries about the potential for inflation reigniting have been further fueled by tariff threats from incoming President Donald Trump. Companies typically pass along the higher costs from tariffs on goods and raw materials to consumers.
Investors have very little corporate and economic news to review this week, which is shortened by the New Year holiday. Markets will be closed on Wednesday.
On Thursday, investors will get an updated snapshot of U.S. construction spending for the month of November. On Friday, Wall Street will receive an update on manufacturing for December.
FIL:E - The New York Stock Exchange is shown in New York's Financial District on Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)
Participants perform a traditional hand clap at the end of a ceremony to conclude the year's trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Nikkei 225 index is seen on screen at the site of a ceremony to mark the last trading day of the year at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Visitors look at the end of a ceremony to conclude the year's trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Participants perform a traditional hand clap at the end of a ceremony to conclude the year's trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A staff works on the last trading day of the year at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Nikkei 225 index is seen on screen as a TV camera crew films the site of a ceremony to mark the last trading day of the year at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Participants attend the end of a ceremony to conclude the year's trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Media wait for the ceremony to mark the last trading day of the year at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Hiromi Yamaji, CEO of Japan Exchange Group (JPX) delivers a speech at the end of a ceremony to conclude the year's trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A person walks in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
FIL:E - People photograph the New York Stock Exchange in New York's Financial District on Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)
People walk in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
FILE - The New York Stock Exchange is shown behind the statue titled "Fearless Girl", Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
