Broncos at .500, but It’s Nothing to Brag About : AFC: They get key defensive play to barely beat Bengals in Denver, 15-13.

The Denver Broncos completed their torturous climb back to .500 by barely outlasting the Cincinnati Bengals.

John Elway threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Miller and Jason Elam kicked three field goals as the Broncos edged the Bengals, 15-13, on Sunday.

“That was all right,” Denver Coach Wade Phillips said. “Another win at home, and we’ll take it. Our defense (ranked last in the NFL) played an outstanding game, but our offense certainly had problems in the second half.”

The Broncos, who did not score after intermission, had only 53 total yards in the second half, including minus-four in the third quarter, finishing with 256 compared to Cincinnati’s 328.

Denver (6-6), which has won six of its last eight games after an 0-4 start, needed a key defensive play with 3:36 left to preserve the victory.

The Bengals (2-10) had marched to the Denver 20 when Harold Green took a handoff to the left side. Safety Steve Atwater’s hit sent Green reeling backward, and he was tackled by Ted Washington, forcing a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Elijah Alexander at the 33. Denver then ran out the clock.

Atwater said he got a jump on the play, reading run.

“I just came up as hard as I could,” he said. “I saw (fullback Derrick) Fenner and I saw Green running behind him. I hit Fenner and knocked him back into Green. Then three other guys came over and all of us gang-tackled and somebody caused the fumble. The next thing you know, Eli is running the other way. We thought it was a touchdown.”

The officials ruled Alexander had stepped out of bounds after a nine-yard return.

Despite a wind gusting to 37 m.p.h., Elway completed 21 of 38 passes for 239 yards, giving him his ninth 3,000-yard passing season.