Lessons the Chiefs Can Take Into Sunday’s Game Against Bengals

The fourth time that the Chiefs and Bengals will be facing off in the last 13 months presents a massive chance for KC to prove the doubters wrong.

The AFC Championship Game on Sunday will be the fourth meeting between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals since the beginning of 2022. The Bengals are 3-0 in the previous three meetings, including last year's AFC Championship Game, winning all three contests by three points. 

While searching for their first win in this recent rivalry, the Chiefs were originally the underdogs for the first time in this series. While the line has been moving, this presents a unique opportunity for Kansas City to play the "doubters" card and show why they are the top dogs in the AFC this week.

Jan 21, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) before playing against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The major question mark heading into Sunday is Patrick Mahomes's health. He left the Chiefs' first playoff game of this year with an ankle injury before returning for the second half. He was hampered while out there, but all signs point to him playing against the Bengals. The good news for Kansas City is that there are ways to gameplan around having a less-mobile Mahomes.

That plan will start with the running game. Andy Reid is notorious for preferring to pass and shying away from the run game. The reliance on Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon is going to be critical. In the Week 13 meeting between these two teams, the Chiefs had success on the ground — even without arguably their best offensive lineman in Joe Thuney. Both Pacheco and McKinnon averaged more than 4.5 yards per carry. Reid should lean on the ground game early to slow down the Bengals' ability to get after Mahomes.

Dec 4, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) breaks away to the outside in the fourth quarter of a Week 13 NFL game at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit:Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports

Outside of Travis Kelce, Pacheco and McKinnon may be the Chiefs' most important offensive skill players, including in the passing game. The Bengals have shown a tendency to drop eight into coverage against the Chiefs. They did this in the second half of last year's AFC Championship Game and gave the offense problems. Mahomes wasn't willing to take the check-down that day. However, he has shown that he will do so this season. Getting the ball out to the running backs in space when no one is open downfield will be key to extending drives.

Similar to check-downs, the quick passing game should be used a lot. With the possible return of Mecole Hardman and the emergence of Kadarius Toney, the Chiefs have playmakers who can make plays with the ball in their hands. Expect the Chiefs to run a lot of pop passes, jet sweeps and screens to let their playmakers work to take pressure off of Mahomes. The Bengals have yet to see the Chiefs this season with either Hardman or Toney, which can give them an edge in this matchup.

Jan 7, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney (19) celebrates his touchdown scored against the Las Vegas Raiders with tight end Travis Kelce (87) during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Switching over to the defensive side of the ball, it all starts up front. In that Week 13 meeting, the Chiefs' defensive line played one of its worst games this season. The front barely got pressure on Joe Burrow and sacked him just once. That one sack came at the end of the game, where Burrow went down to keep the clock running. The defensive line needs to be at its peak to put Kansas City in the best position to win. Chris Jones has been the Chiefs' best defensive player this season and will likely get most of the attention from Cincinnati. That means Frank Clark, George Karlaftis, Carlos Dunlap and the other pass-rushers have to win their one-on-one matchups.

Though the defensive line played poorly, they weren't the worst unit on defense that week. The Chiefs' linebackers, to put it lightly, were terrible. Burrow and the Bengals' weapons took advance of their struggles over and over again. They were passive against the run and allowed Cincinnati to gain extra yards with poor tackling. The linebackers played on their heels in pass defense and were exploited in coverage throughout the entire game. The young unit will have to play at a higher level on Sunday to prevent a repeat performance.

Nov 27, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis (56) celebrates with defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) after a sack against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone knows the strength of the Bengals is their passing attack with their lethal weapons combined with their elite quarterback. In that earlier game in Cincinnati, the secondary played very well, especially in man. The Chiefs have been a primary zone team this year, yet they should play more man coverage in this matchup. The Bengals sliced up the Buffalo Bills' soft zones in last week's Divisional Round matchup. 

Playing passive and afraid against the Bengals' offense will allow them to march up and down the field. Kansas City has to take the fight to them and should play press and man coverage for most of the game. Trust the defensive backs to hold up in coverage and make the throwing windows tighter, as Burrow likes to get the ball out quickly. If the Chiefs can do that, as well as follow a few other keys, they have a good chance of snagging their first win in this ongoing series.