Snow Dey: Bengals make another incredible statement with playoff win over the Bills
Bengals #Bengals
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. –– Before the Cincinnati Bengals traveled to Buffalo, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow explained why he “never feels like an underdog.” Every time running back Joe Mixon spoke to the media, he said he didn’t understand why the Bengals weren’t viewed as the “big dogs” in the AFC.
The rallying cry in the Bengals’ locker room has been “Us against the world.” The Bengals didn’t feel like Burrow was getting the same recognition as Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, and they were frustrated about why their status as reigning AFC champions didn’t give them more respect across the NFL.
After traveling on the road and beating the Buffalo Bills, 27-10 in the second round of the playoffs at Highmark Stadium, Burrow and the Bengals won’t have that problem anymore. In a game played in a snowstorm, the Bengals made a statement by toppling the Bills.
Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.
Everything is different now that the Bengals have made a statement of this magnitude in two consecutive postseasons. After beating Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Burrow cemented his case as to why he’s the better quarterback. The Bengals proved that they should have been viewed as Super Bowl contenders all along. A defense that was called “fairly tough” showed, yet again, why it’s a clutch unit that can outwit any quarterback in the NFL.
On Sunday, Burrow faced another quarterback who will be in his “championship window” for his entire career. Likely, Burrow, Allen and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be competing for AFC titles for the next decade.
Burrow, who had the best playoff performance of his NFL career, won his first matchup against Allen. Now the Bengals will go to Kansas City next Sunday with a Super Bowl berth on the line.
Even though they were facing one of the best defenses in the NFL, and even though the Bengals were missing three injured starting offensive linemen, the Bengals offense looked unstoppable coming out of the gate. Historically, defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has been the “mad scientist” coming up with brand new concepts for big games, but this time Zac Taylor and Brian Callahan developed the new wrinkle that stunned the opposing team.
The Bengals offense leaned in more than ever into a package that featured wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in the backfield. Taylor spoke about doing this all the way back at the NFL combine, but he saved the full look until this matchup against the Bills.
On the first drive of the game, the Bills didn’t know how to guard it. On one play, this package got wide receiver Tyler Boyd an advantageous one-on-one matchup for a 23-yard catch. A few plays later, Chase motioned from the backfield and into the slot. The Bills linebackers and safeties lost Chase in the middle of the field, and he was wide open for a 28-yard score.
The next drive, the Bengals offense made another counter move to a counter move. Recently, the Bengals have been running a lot of screens for Chase. This time, with 3:51 left in the first quarter, they faked a screen to Chase and Burrow threw a deep ball to tight end Hayden Hurst, who was uncovered for a 15-yard touchdown.
The Bengals took a 17-7 lead into halftime, and Burrow already had 18 completions for 186 yards. Callahan said before the game that the Bengals wanted to put the ball in Burrow’s hands as much as possible, and he played like a quarterback who will receive a new contract this offseason for a half-billion dollars.
Even though the Bengals were the team with the banged-up offensive line, the Bengals had the defensive line that took over the game. Early on, Joseph Ossai and Trey Hendrickson came up with quarterback hits and sacks that got Allen off the field. The Bengals defense disguised coverages to force Allen to hold onto the ball, and the pass rush got home to make big plays.
The Bengals were the underdog, but they were still the team that dictated the terms of the game.
Both teams lost their shot at the No. 1 seed in the conference when their Week 17 matchup was canceled, so the bracket shook out when they faced each other in Buffalo in the second round.
Going on the road to face Allen and the Bills in one of the toughest road stadiums in the NFL could be the toughest test the Bengals face the rest of the way. Before this week, Allen had never lost a home playoff game. But when has history ever stopped the Burrow-led Bengals?
Burrow did it all in the second half as the Bengals pulled away. He sprinted for a first down when the pocket broke down. He showed pinpoint accuracy on throws to the sideline. He stayed in the game after taking a brutal hit to his legs. He shredded blitzes. He snuck up the middle for first downs.
With the run game clicking as well as it has in months, the Bengals offense was clicking on all cylinders. A 1-yard run by Joe Mixon late in the third quarter put the Bengals up 14 points, and the defense put the game away.
After getting past Buffalo, the Bengals showed why no one should “doubt” them anymore. This win was validation for all of the knocks and slights that the Bengals have been receiving since May.
The Bengals now have 10 postseason wins in franchise history. Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor have delivered half of them.
These Bengals are playing with the same magic that last year’s Bengals had. With an even better, more experienced roster this time around, it could finally be the Bengals’ year to win it all.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Snow Dey: Bengals make another incredible statement with playoff win over the Bills