Williams: Why Cincinnati Bengals feel like team of destiny after win vs. Minnesota Vikings

Jake Browning scrambling for his life, throwing on the run and connecting with Tyler Boyd on a 44-yard reception in overtime perfectly sums up the Cincinnati Bengals.

They refuse to give in. They thrive in the face of adversity. They are flawed and fun. They are why we love sports.

And they are winners. Again.

Bengals playoffs The Jake Browning legend continues as the Bengals beat the Vikings

Browning-to-Boyd set up the game-winning field goal in a 27-24 thriller against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday afternoon at Paycor Stadium. The Bengals needed someone to step up at that very moment, just minutes after star receiver Ja’Marr Chase had been ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Fitting someone would step up. It was a month ago to the day that quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending injury, and everyone outside the Bengals locker room left their season for dead.

"It took everybody," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. "(For) anyone that represents the Bengals, this is a good day."

Is it time to call the Bengals a team of destiny? It’s sure starting to feel that way for Cincinnati, which has won three straight games with its backup quarterback.

But let’s be careful to put a label on the Bengals. Labeling them could put an expectation on the Bengals, and they are thriving on playing pressure-free after Burrow went down in Baltimore on Nov. 16.

The locker room doesn’t want you to call them a team of destiny or anything like that. The Bengals are just looking toward next week’s game in Pittsburgh. It’s an approach that’s kept them in the thick of the AFC playoff chase.

There was a time not long ago when many of us didn’t think the Bengals would win another game this season. They’re now probably two wins away from making the playoffs. They have a tough three-game stretch to finish the season. It'll be more difficult if Chase doesn't return. To the Bengals, though, so be it. All that matters to them right now: Pittsburgh.

The Bengals’ passionate fanbase has embraced no-expectations and is along for the ride. I mean, how fun was it to watch the Bengals come back from a 17-3 deficit in the fourth quarter?

Did you tell yourself when the Bengals were down two touchdowns: Oh, well, it was a helluva few games with Browning. The last few weeks were a lot of fun. Love the fight in this team. Looking forward to next season.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Taylor’s Bengals the last three seasons: Whether Burrow is playing or not, never count them out.

The Bengals pretty much stunk on defense against the Vikings, who’d scored one total touchdown in the previous two games. Minnesota came to town with a backup quarterback and a backup running back.

Nick Mullens and Ty Chandler absolutely carved up the Bengals, who reverted to the problems they had earlier in the season. The Bengals couldn’t stop the run, and they couldn’t cover the tight end over the middle.

Chandler, in his second season, rushed for a career-high 132 yards. It was the first time in his career he’d hit the 100-yard rushing mark.

It didn’t help the Bengals lost run-stuffing defensive tackle DJ Reader to a leg injury in the first quarter.

Or maybe it did help in some way. Reader's injury was yet another obstacle for the Bengals to overcome, and they have a locker room full of guys who take it upon themselves to step up when a teammate goes down.

Browning is a perfect example. Burrow’s undrafted backup just kept plugging away against maybe the best defense Browning has faced in his four starts. With 39 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Browning scrambled and heaved the ball while falling sideways. Tee Higgins (remember him?) leaped in front of a defender, caught the ball at the 1-yard line and then stretched it over the goal line with one hand as he was falling backward out of bounds.

The throw. The catch. The stretch.

Yet more examples of the Bengals’ refuse-to-lose, improbable run.

And the best part about this run?

No one knows where it’s going to end.

Contact Enquirer columnist Jason Williams by email at  jwilliams@enquirer.com.