AFC Championship
(3) Cincinnati Bengals at (1) Kansas City Chiefs
Bengals: All year, the talk in the AFC was the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs. They’re who you must take down if you want to get anywhere, many of the experts were saying. I know the saying is it isn’t how you start; it’s how you finish. But I’d like to add on to that if I may. It’s also how you play when it matters the most and they are playing their best football right now. Sunday afternoon in Orchard Park was the best I’ve ever seen them look and I mean that too. Whatever they wanted to do, they did it. For an Offensive Line with three backups playing, they surely impressed me. Joe Burrow had a clean pocket to throw from all football game and he spread the ball around to each of his open receivers. My biggest takeaway from their offensive production was establishing Joe Mixon. Again, running the football is still crucial in today’s game and finished that game with 105 yards on the ground. Next, let me tip my cap to the defense and I love the system they run. My top key coming into that game was to keep Josh Allen in that pocket and they did just that. What makes the Bengals so effective as a defense is the ability to just rush three and even with that, they still win their one-on-one battles in the secondary on the outside. That’s so impressive. Now, let me show my love for the Quarterback. I watched Joe put together the greatest season ever by a Quarterback in college and the mentality he displayed was what stood out then. Now at the next level, nothing has changed. He’s never phased by anything, and it shows to this day. This kid has become an elite Quarterback in the last year. When I watch this Cincinnati team, I’m seeing a group who’s taking it personally, but handling business on the field. On Sunday night, they will return to Arrowhead.
Chiefs: It wasn’t the prettiest of performances, but they came away with the win, nonetheless. With how they started, I thought we were looking at a potential blowout. However, things changed completely when Patrick Mahomes injured his ankle. As soon as it happened, I was immediately contacted and asked how would the Jacksonville Jaguars adjust? I said they would run delayed blitzes and force him to run. It’s not anything dirty or wrong, that’s how the game is played. When a key player isn’t 100 percent, you test him early on. The Chiefs adjusted well because they made sure they kept their Quarterback in the pocket and they found ways to feed Isaiah Pacheco the football. Here’s one thing I want to say. When you gameplan for the Chiefs offense, there’s one guy you must always account for and know where he is. I think you all know who I’m talking about: Travis Kelce. I always say to always double him, especially in the red zone. Why teams bother to play zone on him really baffles me because he’s going to run underneath and find that soft spot in the coverage. I also say to double him in the red area of the field because they find so many ways to get him the football! He’s the best Tight End in the league and he’s in his own bracket as far as I’m concerned. Seeing them get back to another conference title game reminds me so much of those Patriots teams with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. It may have looked bleak at one point, but they got there and the same could be said about this group here. Another trip to the Super Bowl is on the line for Andy Reid’s team and they will host another conference title game.
Bengals X-Factor: Mike Hilton– This is a Bengals defense full of playmakers and he’s one of them. Mike signed with Cincinnati after playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers the previous four seasons. He plays with such intense tenacity. Mike is their primary slot corner but does so much more. He’s a tackling machine and always finds himself around the football. I say he plays his position as if he were a safety. Mike makes his reads first, then reacts to make the play and he can also get you an interception or two. The Chiefs must know where he is at all times and circle in on him.
Chiefs X-Factor: Isaiah Pacheco– I like what he brings to the Chiefs offense. Isaiah is dynamic, fast and strong out the backfield and he won’t shy away from any contact. He’s a tough runner to bring down because of the shiftiness in space he displays. Isaiah can cut one way, then bounce in the opposite direction to gain yards. He’s a physical runner that can wear a defense down when he’s continuously fed the ball. I look for him to throw off the Cincinnati defense early on and he will also help provide balance for the Chiefs offense.
Final Thoughts: These two can’t get away from one another it appears. This will be their fourth meeting in over a year and the Bengals have won each match up. This will also be the first time we see the same two teams in the AFC Championship consecutively since the Ravens and Patriots in the early 2010s. The Bengals are clicking right now, and they are explosive on both sides of the football. They are a cool, calm and collected group. The million-dollar question is the ankle of Patrick Mahomes. If I’m Cincinnati, I’m making him move early on and testing that ankle. Patrick is very improvisational and has a strong ability to extend the play and create magic. Get him on the move and send the house. Also, the Bengals must start early and punch Kansas City early. See what they did against Buffalo last week? Come in with that mindset. On the other side, the Chiefs must do what the Bills didn’t and that’s run the ball. Control the clock and keep that explosive Bengals offense off the field. I’ll also be watching to see if the Chiefs can finally get home to Burrow and collapse his pocket. Each time they’ve blitzed him, he’s picked them apart. I think we will be in for another close contest between these two.
Prediction: Bengals 28, Chiefs 24
