The Cincinnati Bengals met the Kansas City Chiefs for the third time in a calendar year. In every meeting, the final result was the same as Cincinnati once again came away victorious. This game was defined by the quarterbacks and skill players stepping up at crucial moments. Joe Burrow outdueled Patrick Mahomes as the Bengals clutch defense held Mahomes to 24 points. This included a game-changing fumble by Travis Kelce and a Joseph Ossai sack that led to a missed field goal by the Chiefs. Burrow finished the day 25-31 with 286 passing yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions for a rating of 126.6. The dangerous legs of Burrow were also in full effect as he punished Kansas City with 46 yards rushing and a touchdown. The win moves the Bengals to 8-4, and they are still tied with the Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North crown. This game was huge for the potential season-ending tiebreakers as Cincinnati will hold the head-to-head lead over the Chiefs.
Joe Burrow Delivers Statement Win Against Kansas City Chiefs
“They Gotta Play Us”
The Bengals rallying cry this season has been the statement, “they gotta play us” as a reminder that they are the defending AFC Champions. With every victory down the stretch, the Bengals are yearning to prove that last year’s Super Bowl run wasn’t a fluke.
We can't say it enough: this locker room is special.
Locker Room Celly | @KetteringHealth pic.twitter.com/CAWdBbJtiQ
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 5, 2022
Head coach Zac Taylor has built this locker room from the ground up. The organization has drafted tough, smart, and reliable players since he arrived in 2019. Burrow spoke to this after the game stating, “We have really good players, really good coaches, great game plans every time. We have guys that know what it takes in those big moments.” This has served the Bengals well last year and history seems to be repeating itself.
Chase is on the Case
Cincinnati received a massive boost this week with star wideout Ja’Marr Chase returning for the first time in four games. The hairline hip fracture showed no ill effects and he and Burrow didn’t miss a beat. Chase ended with 97 yards receiving on seven receptions for an average of 13.9 yards. Chase also had a critical third-down conversion to keep the Bengals final drive alive.
The Ja'Marr Chase difference. @Real10jayy__
📺: #KCvsCIN on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/KRUwj1CkWe pic.twitter.com/30wfEzzUOM— NFL (@NFL) December 5, 2022
Chase makes a difference every time he steps on the field. With five games left, the Bengals will heavily rely on him in a multitude of passing sets.
Joe Cool
When the game is on the line, there are not many quarterbacks you’d take over Burow in the clutch. Burrow has burned the Chiefs in the final moments of each of their last three matchups. After the Harrison Butker miss, the Bengals had the opportunity to close out Kansas City again. Burrow was up to the challenge, marching 39 yards in 10 plays and delivering an absolute laser to Tee Higgins to clinch the game.
Joe Cool puts the final nail in the coffin ⚰️
(🎥: @NFL) | #RuleTheJungle
pic.twitter.com/zKySqwjGWM— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) December 5, 2022
Being clutch isn’t something you can easily quantify. Burrow has this innate gene to couple with his otherworldly talents. In a playoff push, you often face heavyweight battles consistently. It’s a good thing Burrow is currently the heavyweight champion.
