For the second consecutive season, the Cincinnati Bengals’ Conference Championship opponent will be the Kansas City Chiefs. Last time, Joe Burrow and the Bengals took down Patrick Mahomes and company 27-24. This time, Cincinnati goes into Kansas City a one-point favorite, due to Mahomes’ high ankle sprain suffered last week vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars. Burrow is currently 3-0 vs. his AFC QB nemesis, and if he can go 4-0 by winning this Bengals-Chiefs game, his team will make back-to-back Super Bowls. Ahead of this monstrous AFC clash, let’s make some bold Bengals predictions.
4. Ja’Marr Chase is the game’s MVP
In just two seasons, Bengals widout Ja’Marr Chase has become one of (if not) the best wide receivers in the NFL. In 2022, he finished in the top 20 of receptions (87, 14th), receiving yards (1,046, 16th), and receiving touchdowns (nine, T-6). And that’s despite playing just 12 games this season due to injury.
Since coming back from his hip injury, Chase has only gone for over 100 yards once (119, Week 13), though. Joe Burrows’ LSU teammate is due for a breakout in the Bengals Conference Championship game. And the second-year wideout couldn't pick a better time to do it.
For our preview and predictions on the Bengals' AFC title game matchup against the Chiefs, listen below:
The Chiefs are middle-of-the-road against the pass, ranking 19th in the NFL during the regular season in passing yards allowed (3,756). In this Bengals-Chiefs tilt, the bold Bengals prediction is that Chase goes off for over 100 yards and scores multiple touchdowns for his team.
Plenty of players will step up on the Bengals side on offense, including Burrow, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon, Smaje Perine, and Hayden Hurst. However, there can only be one MVP on the Cincy side of the ball, and as the player who consistently will produce big plays in this matchup, Ja'Marr Chase will be it.
3. The Bengals defense again shuts down the second half
Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is one of the hottest names in coaching right now. His defense hasn’t given up 20 points or more since the last Bengals-Chiefs game in Week 13, and that was a 27-24 win for his team.
Within that run, the Cincy D has put up an incredible stat line in the second half. In the last six games, the team has allowed just five second-half touchdowns in 180 minutes of game time.
Anarumo’s halftime adjustments are beginning to become the stuff of legend, and against the Chiefs, that legend will grow. The Bengals D already has the advantage of going against a banged-up Patrick Mahomes, and by the second half, they will have knocked him out of the game or taken away the things he is comfortable doing.
That means that no matter what happens in the first 30 minutes, the back half of the game will be all Bengals.
2. Joe Burrow outshines Patrick Mahomes
The Bengals defense has already renamed the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium “Burrowhead” thanks to the QB’s 3-0 record vs. Kansas City (even though only one of those wins has come away from Ohio).
In this matchup, Burrow will be the far-superior signal-caller, even though it isn’t a fair fight.
Mahomes’ high ankle sprain is an injury that usually takes three to four weeks to recover from. However, the KC QB will lace his (heavily-taped) cleats back up just one week after suffering the leg injury. Even the patented Mahomes Magic won’t allow him to go throw for throw with Burrow on Sunday.
The truth of the AFC playoffs in 2023 is that the better quarterback who plays better comes away victorious. In the Bengals Conference Championship, this will hold true as Burrow wins the day and the team takes its second consecutive trip to the Big Game.
1. Bengals 31, Chiefs 20
If Patrick Mahomes was at full strength, this may be a different bold Bengals prediction. As it is, though, the driving force behind the high-flying Chiefs offense will be far from 100% and that gives a major edge to the Bengals.
In fact, the bold Bengals prediction here will go so far as to be that Cincinnati will win this one easily, and if they don’t, it will be surprising. The Bengals defense (especially with DC Lou Anarumo) is far superior to the Chiefs' unit. The Bengals D gave up 47 fewer points than the Chiefs this season, albeit in one fewer game.
Without the better offense — which is debatable — to lean on, the Chiefs don’t stand a chance in this contest. Burrow and company should roll in this Bengals-Chiefs matchup and, once again, head to the Super Bowl as the representative of the AFC. And once that happens, a Lombardi Trophy could soon be making its first trip to Cincinnati.
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