Preview, playoff implications and how to watch

The 9-6 Denver Broncos and 7-8 Cincinnati Bengals face off this afternoon in the second of three Saturday NFL football games.

It’s unseasonably warm in Cincinnati, with temperatures just under 60 degrees at kickoff time at Paycor Stadium. The Bengals, who have won three straight, need to stay hot to compete in the playoffs.

Playoff implications for Bengals and Broncos

This is a must-win game for quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals. If they lose to the Broncos, their playoff hopes are officially over. If they win, they’ll need another win in Week 18 to stay in contention for an AFC wild-card spot.

This game is also momentous for the Broncos, but far less existential for them. A win secures the Broncos and QB Bo Nix’s seventh and final AFC playoff berth in his outstanding rookie year.

The 10-6 Chargers defeated the 3-13 Patriots 40-7 today to clinch a playoff spot.

Expect an offensive showdown as Nix looks to exploit the Bengals’ porous defense and Burrow aims to destroy the Broncos’ secondary with his passing accuracy.

Injury report

Bengals inactive

• Charlie Jones (WR)
• Andrew Stueber (OT)
• Tanner Hudson (TE)
• Sam Hubbard (DE)
• Sheldon Rankins (DT)

Denver Broncos inactive

• Zach Wilson (QB)*
• David Sills (WR)
• Blake Watson (RB)
• Levelle Bailey (ILB)
• Frank Crum (T)
• Matt Henningsen (DL)
• Eyioma Uwazurike (DL)

* Third emergency QB

How to watch the Broncos-Bengals game

The Broncos-Bengals game, which begins at 4:30 p.m. Eastern (2:30 p.m. Mountain/1:30 p.m. Pacific), will air exclusively on NFL Network. You can also watch the game on NFL+, YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket, or other streaming networks that offer NFL Network as part of a paid package.

Fans in home and away team markets can watch on their local partners. This means viewers in the Denver metro area can watch the game on DENVER7 and those in Cincinnati can watch the game on Fox 19.

There are also additional free ways to watch the game through FUBO and Hulu trials. Further information can be found here.