CINCINNATI — What good can come out of blowing a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead?
The 49ers found out Sunday night on the banks of the Ohio River.
Jimmy Garoppolo came alive to deliver a game-winning drive, capped by Brandon Aiyuk's 12-yard touchdown reception with 1:53 remaining in overtime of a 26-23 victory against the host Cincinnati Bengals.
What a finish by Garoppolo, by Kittle, by an entire offense that answered the bell to strengthen their playoff hopes.
Once a replay review ruled that Aiyuk successfully reached the football across the goal line, pandemonium ensued and 49ers players celebrated as they were scattered across Paul Brown Stadium's field. A couple of linemen fell to their knee. Kittle and others rushed to thank Aiyuk.
The 49ers (7-6) moved back to the sixth spot in the NFC playoff race, between the Los Angeles Rams (8-4) and Washington (6-7) in the wild-card race. Next up is a home date Sunday against another wild-card pursuer, the Atlanta Falcons (6-7).
Yes, the 49ers' pass defense caved, just as suspected, as two Nick Bosa sacks were not enough to offset the growing pains in rookie cornerback Ambry Thomas' starting debut.
Yes, Robbie Gould missed a potential winning field goal as regulation expired.
And at 7:51 p.m. local, Kittle walked off the field with his helmet in hand, a smile on his face and 151 receiving yards on 13 catches.
Two minutes later, Garoppolo ran off the field with his arms in the air, tossing his wristband to the legion of red-clad 49ers fans in the stands.
Garoppolo was 6-of-6 for 77 yards on the winning drive. Whoa. Not bad for a guy sacked four times amid a fourth-quarter collapse.
Garoppolo opened his closing act with an 8-yard completion to, of course, Kittle, who committed a false-start penalty before the next snap to seemingly doom things.
Garoppolo responded with a 25-yard bomb that Jauan Jennings high-pointed on the right sideline. Then came a 21-yarder to Kittle, a 3-yarder to JaMycal Hasty, a 2-yard run by Deebo Samuel and then a clutch, 9-yard catch by Kittle on the left hashmark to convert a dicey, third-and-5 situation.
Then it was Aiyuk who stepped up — and balanced along the left sideline to find pay dirt. It was Aiyuk's sixth catch on 11 targets (62 yards).
Garoppolo completed 27-of-41 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns — with no interceptions, courtesy of a linebacker's fourth-quarter drop.
Bengals counterpart Joe Burrow (348 yards) knew just who to target for a game-tying touchdown: Thomas, whose starting debut was flawed earlier by soft receptions and two penalties. Thomas fell for fellow rookie Ja'Marr Chase's double move, and Chase capitalized with a 32-yard scoring grab with 1:19 remaining to pull the Bengals even at 20.
The 49ers took a 17-6 lead into halftime, strengthened by Kittle's 14-yard touchdown catch with 18 seconds left in the half, a scoring play made possible because of a Vonn Bell taunting penalty following a third-down stop.
