CINCINNATI – They kept answering.

Faced with a halftime deficit, the Broncos responded.

After facing two seven-point deficits in the fourth quarter, Denver fought back.

With the Broncos needing a touchdown with just a few seconds left in regulation, they were immediately on the right track.

And toward the end of the Broncos’ 30-24 overtime loss to the Bengals, Denver even had a number of opportunities to decide the game. The ESPN win probability chart, which aptly looked like the rollercoaster ride of Saturday’s game, estimated that the odds between Cincinnati and Denver swung back and forth eight times from the start of the fourth quarter until the game’s final touchdown.

“Honestly, it’s really fun,” quarterback Bo Nix said. “That’s the reason you do this sport. You play for moments like this. We had our chances and just didn’t get it done.”

The Bengals simply made one or two more plays – and with that lead, they prevented the Broncos from securing a postseason berth on Saturday.

“Obviously a hard-fought game,” head coach Sean Payton said. “It was hard to lose. We had our chances. I’m proud of this team. It wasn’t perfect, but man, the willingness to compete and respond, it was pretty impressive.”

Denver had a few chances to take the lead after recovering from a 7-3 halftime deficit thanks to a strong rushing performance and a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bo Nix to Courtland Sutton – and one 17:10 margin in the fourth quarter. After Nix tied the game at 17 with 8:56 left with a spectacular 51-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Mims Jr., who flew more than 60 yards in the air, cornerback Pat Surtain II forced a fumble Denver got the ball at its own 40-yard line. With 5:08 minutes left in the game, Denver had a chance to run out the clock and take the lead.

Instead, the Broncos suffered another deficit after Cincinnati caught an interception and Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow drove into the end zone with 1:31 left.

Nix and the Broncos’ offense continued to ramp up until the end, as Courtland Sutton made two impressive catches and Marvin Mims Jr. scored a 25-yard jump-ball touchdown with eight seconds left in the game. The Broncos opted to kick the extra point to send the game into overtime, although Payton said the team considered a game-winning two-point conversion attempt.

“We felt like we had the momentum at that point,” Payton said. “Look, it went back and forth and in the end we didn’t make enough plays. That’s what they did.”

The Broncos also had chances in overtime. Denver forced Cincinnati’s first punt of the game on the first possession of overtime as Zach Allen racked up back-to-back sacks, completing a career-best 3.5-sack night. The sacks were the last two of seven quarterback takedowns — which marked the Broncos’ best win of the season — and helped Denver surpass the franchise mark for single-season sacks.

However, Denver’s offense was unable to capitalize on two possessions. The first ended with Nix failing to connect with Franklin on a deep three-and-six pass, while the second came after Cade York’s 33-yard field goal attempt bounced off the upright, giving Denver new life.

“Those two third downs at the end, you play the whole game, you get those chances and I have to take advantage of them,” Nix said. “That’s what NFL quarterbacks do.”

The Broncos’ multiple near-chances to eke out a win and punch a ticket to the postseason only deepened the disappointment of defeat – and left Denver’s locker room determined to squander their last chance at a playoff spot.

“We have to develop into winners,” tackle Mike McGlinchey said, “and we have to make sure that when we control the outcome of certain things, we finish.”

As Denver heads toward one final win-and-in game in Week 18, there is little doubt about the team’s ability to rise to the challenge against Kansas City.

“100 percent,” Allen said. “We know who we are. It’s just the NFL. You play against good teams every week, but we’ve proven this year that we can bounce back. (We) just have to do it next week.”

That opportunity — to play in games like Saturday’s back-and-forth thriller and a meaningful Week 18 season finale — is part of what makes the position Denver finds itself in so special.

“Listen, go out and compete,” Payton said. “Every week you are under pressure. That’s why we do it: to play meaningful games here. I think it’s important to get into it and it’s exciting. There’s nothing worse than playing games in the latter part of a season with nothing at stake.”

“I think that’s something we’ll all be excited about.”