Botched XP costs Bengals

It seemed only fitting that weather played a role in the outcome.
DENVER (AP) -- Rod Smith credited the weather. John Lynch claimed there was an element of luck involved. Mike Shanahan simply pointed to something more spiritual.
A botched extra point on a snowy Sunday sealed Denver's 24-23 win over Cincinnati, preventing the Bengals from clinching a playoff berth and putting the Broncos in the driver's seat for a wild-card spot.
Brad St. Louis' long snap on an extra point in the final minute sailed wide of holder Kyle Larson, keeping Shayne Graham from even attempting his 159th straight conversion.
"I don't know if it's ever happened in my career," Lynch said. "Sometimes, luck plays a part of it."
Shanahan thought Arvella Bowlen, the mother of owner Pat Bowlen, who died Wednesday at the age of 90 after a long illness, was pulling strings for the Broncos.
"I think she had something to do with that extra point," Shanahan said.
Fitting end
In a week where a blizzard blew through town -- shutting down the airport for two days and dumping nearly 30 inches of snow on the city -- it's only fitting that weather played a role in the game. The snow picked up intensity as the game went along.
"The snow came along at the right time," Smith said.
The Bengals (8-7) just needed to beat Denver to clinch a playoff spot. Trailing 24-17 late in the fourth quarter, Cincinnati drove 90 yards and scored when Carson Palmer threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh with under a minute left.
Usually, Shanahan wouldn't watch an extra point, thinking it's almost automatic. He made an exception.
"I was looking at it because the conditions were tougher than normal," he said.
The snap was wobbly and bounced away from Larson. Cincinnati recovered an onside kick but was offsides and had to re-kick, and Quincy Morgan fielded it to seal the win.
Win and hope
Now, the Bengals need help to get the wild card. They must beat Pittsburgh at home next week and hope the New York Jets lose one of their final two games.
"It was a tough way to lose a football game," Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. "That play at the end was not why we lost the game. We continue to hurt ourselves."
The Bengals turned the ball over four times, including a fumble recovery and an interception from Champ Bailey, who had his league-leading ninth pick and also helped limit Chad Johnson to three catches for 32 yards.
Denver (9-6) can clinch a playoff spot with a win next week against San Francisco or a loss by Kansas City to Jacksonville.
"It was a playoff atmosphere out there," said Lynch, who caused Rudi Johnson to fumble on a hit in the fourth quarter. "It was two teams knowing it's an extremely important game."
That's why cornerback/nickel back/safety Domonique Foxworth collapsed in the locker room after the game. Foxworth, who said he was fine and wasn't taken to the hospital, was completely exhausted.
"Kid played his heart out," Lynch said.
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