Broncos host Bengals without Burrow on Monday Night Football

The Denver Broncos will try to stop a two-game skid when they host the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night at Empower Field at Mile High, with kickoff set for 6:15 p.m. Mountain Time on ABC. Denver is 1-2 after consecutive losses on walkoff field goals; Cincinnati is 2-1 but arrives reeling from a 48-10 defeat to Minnesota and will be without Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow after toe surgery, the team said.

The matchup sets up as a test of Denver’s ability to finish games and Cincinnati’s capacity to regroup without its franchise passer. Oddsmakers opened the Broncos as roughly 7-point favorites and the total sits in the mid-40s, reflecting expectations that Denver’s home-field altitude and defensive strengths give it the edge against a Bengals offense that has struggled to run and protect the ball.

Denver’s problems are well-documented. The Broncos have led late in their last two games but failed to close them out, converting just one of several crucial fourth-quarter opportunities. Coach Sean Payton has pointed to execution and discipline after his team committed costly penalties and missed scoring chances. Quarterback Bo Nix has completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 535...