NFL Playoffs: Chiefs vs Bengals Game Thread

We’re down to four teams in the NFL playoffs as the conference championship games get underway. In the AFC Championship Game we have the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Cincinnati Bengals. This game features a matchup of two of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL.

The 14-5 Kansas City Chiefs have won 11 of their last 12 games. The Chiefs’ offense has been absolutely dominant of late, averaging more than 37 points per game over the last seven games and shredding the best defense in the NFL last week against the Buffalo Bills. Patrick Mahomes is one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce are elite offensive weapons, and when the Chiefs get rolling it is nearly impossible to keep up with their offensive fireworks. However, the Chiefs had a weakness this season. The Chiefs’ defense was well below average against both the run and the pass. That may prove to be their undoing today if the Bengals offense brings its A-game.

The 12-7 Cincinnati Bengals come into this game having won five of their last six games, including an impressive win over the Kansas City Chiefs a few weeks ago. The Bengals feature one of the league’s hottest quarterbacks in Joe Burrow, along with arguably the NFL’s best set of offensive weapons. The Bengals also feature a top 5 rushing defense, and a top 7 scoring offense. The Bengals’ achilles heel is their pass defense, which has not been effective for most of the season. That does not bode well against a Patrick Mahomes led Kansas City offense. If the Bengals can’t slow down the high-powered Chiefs’ attack, it won’t be easy winning a shootout.

It’s the Chiefs and the Bengals in the first of two conference championship games today.

Enjoy the game everybody.