The Kansas City Chiefs accomplished something great on the gridiron. Kansas City won the AFC Championship game and beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20. Cincinnati had beaten the Kansas City Chiefs in their previous meetings. The Bengals had beaten the Chiefs 27-24, 34-31, and 23-20. Sunday’s game was fun and came down to the wire. A lot of events transpired, most importantly the Kansas City Chiefs learned from their past losses and found a way to win.
Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals History
The rivalry began in the 2021 season. Kansas City lost to the Bengals 34-31 in Cincinnati. The loss was heartbreaking and humbling for the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City was one of the hottest teams in the AFC and NFL during the 2021 season. Cincinnati killed Kansas City’s secondary with big plays. Kansas City Chiefs fans remember Ja’marr Chase making insane catches and scoring multiple touchdowns. Kansas City made it to the AFC Championship game in 2022 and had to face the Bengals again. Kansas City started the game well and controlled the game. However, the Bengal’s defense made adjustments and limited the Chief’s high-scoring offense. Cincinnati won the game 27-24.
The Kansas City Chiefs had a chance to redeem themselves during the 2022 season. Kansas City played better than they had in the past. However, the Bengals made more plays and the Chiefs shot themselves in the foot. Cincinnati was victorious again and won the game 23-20.
What the Chiefs Learned
Georgia Tech legend Harrison Butker sends the Chiefs to the Super Bowl pic.twitter.com/kjjU3tsQUu
— Reggie Chatman Jr. (@ReggieChatman) January 30, 2023
The Kansas City Chiefs had to beat the Bengals to reach the Superbowl. Andy Reid’s didn’t want to lose another AFC Championship game at home. Kansas City learned from its failures in previous games and created a solid game plan. Defensively, the Chiefs took advantage of the Bengal’s patchwork offensive line. Defensive tackle Chris Jones recorded two sacks that changed the game. Chris Jones missed sacks in the 2022 AFC Championship game and felt like he let the team down. Additionally, the defense created turnovers and tackled better. According to stats provided by ESPN, the Chief’s defense allowed 8.9, 6.8, and 5.9 yards after the catch to Cincinnati’s receivers. Kansas City only allowed 4.5 yards after the catch in Sunday’s championship game.
Patrick Mahomes struggled to move the offense down the field in the previous games. The offense had only scored 3 points in the second half against the Bengals. Mahomes and the Chief’s offense flipped the script Sunday. Kansas City scored 10 points in the second half and set up a game-winning field goal for Harrison Butker. Kansas City learned how to attack the Bengal’s defense and found ways to move the ball when the game was on the line.
Final Note
Winning in the NFL playoffs isn’t easy. Winning takes a team effort and a strong game plan. Teams must conquer adverse situations and find a way to win. The Kansas City Chiefs demonstrated these qualities and are headed back to the Superbowl.
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