Again, the Bengals and the Chiefs are going to play. Both of the clubs that participated in last year's AFC championship match have advanced to the event this year. Joe Burrow & Co. have had the Chiefs' number, but does that mean the Bengals are invincible? Not necessarily. Here we will look at some of the issues the Bengals have when they face the Chiefs in the NFL Playoffs AFC Championship.
The Bengals will aim for their second straight Super Bowl appearance as they face off against the Chiefs in the 2023 AFC Championship Game. As we all know, this is a highly-anticipated rematch of last year's game where Cincinnati came back from an 18-point deficit to win and advance to Super Bowl LVI. Of course, they ultimately lost to the Los Angeles Rams there, which is a big chip on Cincy's shoulders.
Both the Bengals and Chiefs are coming off wins in the Divisional Round. The Bengals dominated in a 27-10 road victory over the Bills and Kansas City defeated the Jaguars, 27-20. The Bengals enter the game with a 14-4 record and on a 10-game winning streak. Their playoff form has been reminiscent of last year's Super Bowl run and is coming off their most complete performance of the season. With a 15-3 record and three consecutive road playoff wins in the past two seasons, the Bengals are not intimidated by Arrowhead Stadium or the Chiefs. Keep in mind that Cincy won there in last year's AFC title game. They have also beaten the Chiefs three straight times in their head-to-head matchups.
That said, here are some of the issues the Bengals will have when they face the Chiefs.
4. Bengals Special Teams
First, yes, the Chiefs have an inexperienced coverage unit. However, Harrison Butker and Tommy Townsend make a great kicking and punting duo. Also, Kadarius Toney and Isaiah Pacheco can each pose a punt-returning threat. Although the Bengals have one of the best young kickers in Evan McPherson, punter Drue Chrisman is still learning the ropes. Meanwhile, Trent Taylor only provides them with sporadic returns.
In a game we expect to be quite close, the performance of the special teams will be significantly important.
3. Bengals TE Defense
The Bengals have struggled to cover tight ends in recent games. This can be potentially disastrous as the Chiefs plan to once again utilize Travis Kelce as a primary target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
That said, we expect the Chiefs to take a more strategic approach, targeting Kelce on shorter second and third downs. Recall that Kelce had a standout game in the Chiefs' Divisional Round win over the Jaguars. In that game, he caught 14 of 17 targets for 98 yards and two touchdowns. He was targeted on almost half of the team's 37 pass attempts and recorded long gains of 15 and 14 yards. While his target volume may not be as high, Kelce will remain a key player in the Chiefs' offense in the AFC Championship game. Suffice it to say that Bengals DC Lou Anarumo has his work cut out for him here.
🚨 TOUCHDOWN
Chiefs strike first as Patrick Mahomes hits his No. 1 target: Travis Kelce 🤝pic.twitter.com/I4WzbbZJxO
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 21, 2023
2. Coaching
Whether he is coaching in Philadelphia or Kansas City, Andy Reid is making winning championship games seem routine. He has just been consistent in his offensive planning and has two dependable coordinators in Eric Bieniemy and Steve Spanguolo. Both of those guys have worked with him for a long period. On the other end, with Anarumo and Brian Callahan, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor has also demonstrated a special unit. However, Reid's SB ring and real-world experience make him just a notch better.
That's going to be an especially crucial factor between these two excellent squads. It can be a huge difference-maker, especially for the Bengals, who've had a lot of close calls lately. We feel like the Bengals' habit of narrowly winning close games will eventually come back to haunt them. They have consistently been behind late in games or tied in the fourth quarter. This is a risky strategy, even against a less dominant Mahomes. As the sample size of one-score games increases, the outcome becomes more of a toss-up. To expect to consistently win close games against Reid and Mahomes, who has a history of 13 fourth-quarter comebacks and 14 game-winning drives, is just not the best way to go.
Of course, there might be no choice here. These are, after all, two of the best football teams on the planet. Having a tight game might be inevitable. As such, coaching becomes an even more pronounced factor. We'll go with the Chiefs having the edge in this one.
1. Bengals Trenches
Even with a bad ankle, Patrick Mahomes may be superior to most quarterbacks in the league. That said, the lone exception could be Joe Burrow. However, this is where the linemen of both teams come in.
Keep in mind that the Chiefs offensive line has been performing well in protecting Mahomes and creating openings in the running game for rookie Isiah Pacheco. On the other side, the Bengals have a strong pass rush. However, Mahomes will likely be strategic in his passing to avoid being sacked while injured. To keep up with Burrow and the Bengals, Mahomes and the Chiefs will likely employ a dink-and-dunk approach, which is something the Bengals might struggle against. It goes without saying that Mahomes is known for his ability to pass accurately and make quick decisions in the pocket. Still, his improvisation and off-script plays make him truly special.
The status of both Alex Cappa and Jonah Williams will then be very critical. If both of those guys cannot play or are less than 100 percent, that might spell trouble for Burrow's pass protection. It might also make it tougher for Joe Mixon to get his run game going.
The Bengals pass rush also needs to exploit Mahomes' current situation. As great as Mahomes is, a fierce pass rush from Cincy can possibly disrupt him and force a mistake or two. It's all about wearing Mahomes down. If the Bengals aren't able to do that, then Mahomes can just put holes in their defense.
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