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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
Retired US Navy Corporal 1st Class General Wilson just performed a dazzling rendition of the national anthem, the best I’ve heard in a long time. That’s absolutely a 9.5 out of 10, the highest I’ve given it in a very, very long time.
It sounded something like this.
Good work!
The 76%
So of course I’m not the only one predicting the Chiefs’ downfall – it turns out about 76% of people choose to play this money game like the Bengals! This is all the more notable given that CBS Sports reports that “Mahomes has been preferred in all 12 of his previous playoff starts. This is the longest streak to start a career in the Super Bowl era.”
You know what that means, right? We’re all going down!
At least we all have each other! All 76% of us!
Who’s gonna win this thing?
As if Cincy didn’t already bounce off the news that the long-awaited Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project was finally going to move forward, just wait until they book a second straight Super Bowl after beating the Chiefs again in their backyard. I like the Bengals in a pie walk of sorts, 31-21, with Mahomes suffering from a tough outing on one leg.
What are you saying? Well, reader Bill Preston writes:
I think this will be one of wild swings. The Bengals will start strong and stomp through the first three quarters, but the Chiefs have strength at depth and, above all, determination. They will put together cunning games coupled with exciting exploits and steal this one.
So we agree to disagree, and that’s okay!
The eagles are there!
Read all about it!
Never make him angry…
Just in case you didn’t think all that “Burrowhead” stuff doesn’t leave a mark out there, well, just listen to the Chief’s indomitable defensive tackle Chis Jones:
I don’t think you want to give Mr Jones anything to fret about. Especially when his influence on defense will have a lot to do with who wins this game.
Mahomes (Brittany) and the Mayor
As if the tension between these two teams wasn’t enough, Pat Mahomes’ wife Brittany has joined in the taunting of Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, who caused a stir over a taunting pre-game video in which he said:
“While Joseph Lee Burrow … who is 3-0 up against Mahomes, has been asked by officials to take a paternity test … to confirm whether or not he is his father.”
This had a lead balloon effect online, so Hizzoner asked for a mulligan of sorts. Brittany definitely wasn’t impressed.
Updated at 23:05 GMT
Hi!
Hey folks and welcome to our coverage of the American Football Conference Championship game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s hard to argue that this is the cream of the crop from the AFC, so there’s plenty to look forward to in the next few hours. When it’s over, we’ll know who takes on the soon-to-be NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, currently beating the San Francisco 49ers, in Super Bowl LVII on February 12 in Arizona.
We’re incredibly close to finally learning the true health status of Chiefs quarterback Pat Mahomes II. KC’s engine has been slow in practice this week after suffering a serious sprained ankle against the Jaguars last week. Mahomes got the better of a young, inexperienced Jacksonville squad, but using that trick against these Bengals is going to be a lot harder. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told the press corps, “He’s looking good. He moves well,” but he won’t come out and say he’s a “useless gimp.” So here’s what we know: they’ll be pumping him on as much painkilling serum as possible to keep him on the field and functional, and that the Bengals will squash any chance of Mahomes’ sore right ankle. Those are the stakes.
Meanwhile, Bengals QB Joe Burrow is enjoying the momentum of a franchise-record season in which he set a Cincinnati mark with 35 touchdown throws this season. Burrow also owns a 3-0 record against those Chiefs and is probably one of the most confident players in the world right now. He also has better wide receivers than Mahomes, with the capable trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins. Mahomes has Travis Kelce, who is coming off a monster season on the NFL’s top offense. However, it’s also worth noting what he no longer has: Tyreek Hill.
That’s the QB situation: we’re going to look at some of the other fun factors before kick-off, but for now get comfortable, have your drink and if you like drop me a message. tweet me or email me your predictions, feelings and thoughts and I’ll make you famous!
David will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s a preview of tonight’s game.
AFC Championship Game (Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday 6:30 p.m. EST/11:30 p.m. GMT)
Story of the season: The Kansas City Chiefs took a 14-3 regular season lead to secure the all-important bye week in the AFC. In their first postseason game, they defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-20, although quarterback Patrick Mahomes injured his ankle during the game and missed part of the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals, who upset the Chiefs in last year’s AFC title game, had to take the scenic route after winning just 12-4 in the regular season. They defeated the Baltimore Ravens 24-17 at home and, even more impressively, took on the Buffalo Bills on the road, beating them 27-10.
What the Bengals need to do to win: The offensive line must prove their remarkable performance against the Bills was no fluke. On Sunday, Cincinnati’s smashed-up O-line did a masterful job protecting Burrow, who has only been sacked once. It’s not certain whether either Alex Cappa or Jonah Williams will return, so their backups may need to put in a repeat performance against a defense that will be better prepared than the Bills.
What the Chiefs need to do to win: Mahomes must be at least 80% at his best. It was notable when Mahomes returned with a high ankle sprain in the second half against the Jaguars and led the Chiefs to victory, but when he’s still limping it makes it difficult to beat a Bengals team that’s been in that position previously.
Key players for the Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB. Let’s not overthink that. Burrow had 35 touchdowns, second place finish and 4,475 passing yards in the regular season. He’s also only in his third season as a pro, although his playoff success suggests he’s been at it longer. It’s entirely possible that we’re kind of underestimating Burrow.
Key players for the Chiefs: Chris Jones, DT. When it comes to defending the Chiefs against the Bengals offense, Jones could end up making the difference. In the 2022 regular season, Jones had 15.5 sacks, despite oddly not having had one in the playoffs in his entire career. Sunday would be the ideal time for his first.
Prognosis: Bengals over Chiefs. If Mahomes were healthy, it would be difficult to play the Chiefs at home, despite his career 3-1 draw with Burrows Cincinnati, including the memorable collapse during last year’s AFC Championship game. However, it doesn’t look like he will be, so there’s a very real possibility that his record will drop to 1-4. Either way, we could see one of the NFL’s greatest rivalries of all time blossoming before us.