Bengals vs Chiefs VIII: Bengals beat Chiefs Again 27-24

Date: Wednesday December 7, 2022

Writer: Anthony Iles

VIII Bengals vs Chiefs was everything as expected and advertised. Chiefs had this game circled from day one as they wanted to get revenge from their 2 losses earlier this calendar year. Their first loss came to the Bengals at the end of the regular season last year in Cincinnati which cost them the #1 seed in the playoffs and the Bengals won the AFC North in that game with a playoff birth. They met again in the AFC Championship game in Kansas City where the Bengals won to go to the Super Bowl.

The Chiefs have had a sour taste all off season so coming into this game some of the Chiefs starting trash talking. One player in particular was Chiefs safety Reid. He tried to trash talk Hurst in the media but kept saying Higbee the TE of Rams. He also said Higgins was soft and then tried to say stuff about Chase. This made him look silly. As the game started Bengals took the ball. RB Perine took a run play and did a stiff arm and got about 8 yards on the play. The player he stiff armed to the ground was safety Reid. It was karma to Reid for all he had said all week. After this play I said “Welcome to the jungle Reid!!” Bengals went down the field and scored on the opening possession with a Joe Burrow QB run. His 5th running TD of the season and ties the Bengals all-time rushing TDs in a season by a Bengals QB. On the next position Higgins scored a TD from Burrow. Chase was back and got everyone hyped up. He got a taunting penalty when he went to Reid after Higgins scored and taunted him.

As the game went along Bengals stayed in good rhythm on offense and defense. The Chiefs were able to answer back and get points on the board. Each team had the lead in the game. Chiefs took the lead in the 3rd quarter with a Mahomes dive into the endzone where he fumbled but refs said ball crossed the line before he lost control.

In the fourth quarter the Bengals needed to stop the Chiefs to get the ball back and take the lead for good. On defense Pratt stripped Kelsey and forced a fumble. Bengals got the ball and scored a TD with a TD pass from Burrow to RB Evans. As the Chiefs got the ball they went down the field and at midfield the Bengals were able to sack Mahomes on a key third down play to force a very long 50+ yard field goal. Kicker Butker missed right. This gave the Bengals the ball at the Chiefs 45 yard line and 3 minutes left in the game. Unlike the last 2 games against the Chiefs where the offense went down at the end to kick game winning field goals this time the Bengals offense were able to ice the game with gaining some first downs. The biggest play to ice the game came on 3rd down and 11. If Bengals get a first down they get to kneel it. Burrow threw a perfect pass to Higgins on a slant route in the middle of the field. He had good inside leverage and made a great catch to get the first down and ice the game.

Burrow was “Joe Cool” once again. He went 25/31 for 286 yards 2 TDs and only 1 sack (came on second to last play where he didn’t like the options and went down himself. RB Perine ran 21 times for 106 yards. Burrow 11 rushes for 41 yards. Chase had 7 receptions for 97 yards, Boyd 4 receptions for 60 yards, Perine 6 receptions for 49 yards, Higgins 3 receptions for 35 yards and a TD, Wilcox 1 reception for 13 yards, Hurst 2 receptions for 12 yards, Irwin 1 reception for 12 yards, and Evans 1 reception for 8 yards 1 TD.

The Bengals defense once again had a great gameplan for the Chiefs and were able to minimize their big plays and contain Mahomes. They sacked Mahomes 2 times as well as pressuring him well to force him to throw the ball away multiple times. Kicker McPherson went 2/2 hitting key field goals in the game. This was a well balanced performance by the Bengals. The way they have been playing now is exactly how I thought they would be playing at this time of the season. Get ready for them to make a good run and a chance to be back in the Super Bowl. Once week at a time.

Bengals face Browns, Buccaneers, Patriots, Bills, and Ravens. If the Bengals take care of business and get the wins they need they have a shot at winning the #1 seed in the AFC playoff seedings. Getting wins over Bills and Ravens would give them the advantage in playoff seedings. Take care of business and beat the Browns, beat struggling Buccaneers, take care of Patriots, beat Bills at home on Monday night football, and beat Ravens to claim AFC North 2 years in a row. This would put the Bengals overall record at 13 -4 !!! I feel this can happen, If anything 11-6 but the way they are right now I think they can continue this nice win streak to end the season very strong.

WHO DEY!!!!