These Cincinnati Bengals truly never cease to amaze. While everything indicated that they were about to undergo a correction in good standing at the hands of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, Sunday in Kansas City, the tigers redoubled their ardor and took control of the game after the intermission .
Updated yesterday at 10:52 p.m.
Leading 21-3, the Chiefs surely already saw themselves in Los Angeles to play the Super Bowl in two weeks. It was almost too easy.
In a turnaround that was not on the horizon, but not at all, Joe Burrow and his young teammates then scored 21 straight points to take a 24-21 lead. Mahomes, however, led the way to the Bengals 5-yard line with a first down with 1:30 left on 4and quarter. He was still going to allow the Chiefs to win at the very end.
No. As they had done throughout the second half, the Bengals defense had the best of it, including sacks on second and third downs. Harrison Butker saved the day for the Chiefs with a 44-yard field goal to force overtime.
As was the case against the Buffalo Bills last week, the Chiefs had the chance to start overtime with the ball. Unable to find their rhythm throughout the second half, the Chiefs’ offense squandered their chance. Cornerback Eli Apple narrowly missed an interception, then the very next play Jessie Bates III deflected a pass and the ball ended up in the hands of Vonn Bell, Mahomes’ second interception of the game.
PHOTO JAY BIGGERSTAFF, USA TODAY SPORTS
Patrick Mahomes
Minutes later, first-year kicker Evan McPherson completed the game-winning field goal from 31 yards and the Bengals had just upset the two-time American Conference champions 27-24. McPherson has now made all four field goal attempts for the third straight game since the start of the playoffs (12 for 12).
Better in the second half than in the first, Burrow completed 23 of 38 passes for 250 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Conversely, Mahomes played poorly after a brilliant first half in which he completed 18 of 21 passes for 220 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Coming back from the break, Mahomes hit the target only 8 times in 18 attempts for 55 yards, no touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Such a drop in productivity is difficult to explain, adjustments in defense or not…
Burrow, Tee Higgins (6 catches for 103 yards), Ja’Marr Chase (6 catches for 54 yards and 1 touchdown) and Joe Mixon (88 rushing yards and 27 passing) contributed, but note also the work from the offensive line. A week after their awful game in Tennessee, the quintet allowed only one sack to the Chiefs.
It is thanks to their defense that the Bengals will participate in the Super Bowl for the third time in their history and the first since the 1988 season.
The unit seemed to have absolutely no response in the first half. The Chiefs scored a touchdown on each of their first three possessions and should have added a field goal on their fourth late in the half. Too greedy, they wanted to score a touchdown, but Tyreek Hill was tackled at the Bengals’ one-yard line on the last play of the half. Three lost points that cost dearly in the end…
As it had done in the previous clash between the two teams on January 2, the Bengals defense was transformed between the two halves. At the start of the month, the Chiefs had scored 28 points in the first half, then only 3 in the second. Sunday, it was 21 points in the first 30 minutes of play and 3 in the rest of the game.
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo deserves a shower of praise for what he accomplished at Arrowhead Stadium. Not only did his group excel against one of the best attacks in history, but Anarumo also made sure his defense didn’t crumble after a first half that didn’t bode well. Good work.
What’s even more impressive is that it was a collective effort. Bates III, Bell, Apple, Mike Hilton, Chidobe Awuzie, DJ Reader, Logan Wilson, Sam Hubbard, Trey Hendrickson, every Bengals defensive player contributed in their own way. Essentially the same can be said about their attack.
The Bengals in the Super Bowl? Very few people saw that one coming. An American championship that is fully deserved for Zac Taylor and his club, who are the only ones to have defeated the Chiefs (twice) since losing on October 24 in Nashville.
As the Bengals prepare for the Finals, the Chiefs will try to figure out what just happened. We sometimes have the impression watching them play that they rely too much on their talent. That they believe they can overcome any obstacle, surely due to the presence of Mahomes. But in today’s NFL, where parity has never been greater, it’s downright impossible to win a championship without giving your full potential during 60 minutes of play, and in every game.