The Cincinnati Bengals have gone through their fair share of tribulations this season, but they refuse to give up.

Things aren't looking up either, as starting quarterback Andy Dalton was placed on injured reserve with a thumb injury and the Bengals have to host the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Denver is on a bit of a hot streak, as the Broncos have won their last two games, including last week's 24-17 thriller against the Pittsburgh Steelers, when the defense held tough and forced a Ben Roethlisberger interception on the goal line. Now at 5-6, Denver is a team on the rise, and they are looking to put their name back in consideration for a playoff spot.

The Bengals, also at 5-6, have playoff aspirations of their own, but they have lost their last three games and need to rebound quickly. Running back Joe Mixon seems as motivated as ever though, and is taking it upon himself to not quit and make sure that his teammates do the same.

"I try to do whatever I can to bring my teammates along on to the level of play that I feel like we can play at," Mixon told reporters via the Bengals' official website. "It's been frustrating because we haven't as a whole 11 people on offense, but at the same time, like, a lot of people, they look at me as the spark."

"So, I take it upon myself and I take it personally ... I got to go make that play and I got to get my team going. And when I do that, everybody feeds off of it whether it's offense or defense. No matter how tough the game is going, I'm never going to quit. I don't care how much we're down, I don't care how much we're up, I'm still trying to do the same thing from start to finish."

It's refreshing to see a leader this motivated while his team is in the midst of a losing streak. The Bengals are at a crossroads right now, and some teams would consider throwing in the towel on the season. Placing Dalton on IR could be seen as a move that supports that notion, but Mixon's words do not.

Jeff Driskel is the signal caller who will be replacing Dalton, and he has played fairly well in the four games that he has seen action in this season. So far, he has completed 23-of-36 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown. He has also rushed six times for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Driskel is motivated to prove that he's an NFL quarterback, and we'll see if he can inject some life in to this Bengals' offense.

The Bengals also got some good news earlier this week concerning their offense. According to Bengals' beat reporter Fletcher Page, A.J. Green told the media on Wednesday that he will make his return to the field Sunday, ending a three-game absence he spent nursing a toe injury.

With Green back, Mixon motivated and Driskel at the helm, maybe the Bengals can put together something special on Sunday. No matter what happens however, Mixon will not let his teammates give up.