Clemson Tigers in the NFL Playoffs: Higgins, Reader Look to Lead Bengals to AFC Title

The Cincinnati Bengals are one win away from their first Super Bowl appearance since 1989.

They have the opportunity to win the AFC championship on Sunday when Cincinnati visits the Kansas City Chiefs in their title match. The Bengals have made it this far thanks to former Clemson players Tee Higgins and D.J. Reader.

Getting past the Chiefs at vaunted Arrowhead Stadium won't be easy. The home team has made it to the last two Super Bowls, including winning it all two seasons ago.

When: Sunday at 3 p.m. (CBS)

Betting line: Bengals +7, total 54.5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

How they got here

Cincinnati Bengals: After going 10-7 and surprisingly winning a competitive AFC North by a half-game over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals won their first playoff game in 31 years, a 26-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Then Cincinnati went on the road and upset the Tennessee Titans, the AFC's top seed, 19-16 last Saturday on Evan McPherson's 52-yard field goal at the buzzer. Behind second-year quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals beat the Chiefs 34-31 in Cincinnati in Week 17.

Kansas City Chiefs: Although the defending AFC champions didn't look the part early on this season, starting 3-4, they've been arguably the best team in the NFL since Week 8. An eight-game winning streak helped them capture the AFC West, followed by a 42-21 wild-card win over the Steelers. That set up last week's epic showdown with the Buffalo Bills. Kansas City worked down the field and nailed a game-tying field goal in just 13 seconds. After the Chiefs won the coin flip in overtime, Patrick Mahomes then connected with Travis Kelce in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown in an improbable 42-36 victory to advance them to their third consecutive AFC title match.

Former Clemson players

Tee Higgins: After going over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his two-year career, Higgins bounced back from a slow production game in the wild-card round to give Burrow a major passing option in the win over the Titans. Higgins caught seven of his nine targets for 96 yards. He could be in for another impactful game in the AFC championship. Higgins caught three passes for 62 yards in the previous meeting, but after teammate Ja'Marr Chase put up 266 yards against Kansas City, he'll get a ton of attention from the Chiefs defense this time.

D.J. Reader: The defensive tackle has quietly become one of the most impactful players on this defense. Reader had six tackles, including two tackles for a loss, against the Titans. He helped a defensive front hold star running back Derrek Henry to three yards per carry, playing 83% of the snaps. Reader will be asked to help keep the Chiefs' running game in check this week, but his playing time could decrease if Kansas City attacks primarily through the air, which is its strength.

Jackson Carman: The rookie offensive lineman played four snaps last week and was in on a handful of special teams plays. After the Bengals gave up nine sacks to the Titans, there could be some opportunities for Carman off the bench if those pass-protecting struggles continue.

Dorian O’Daniel: The former Clemson linebacker saw a couple of snaps against the Bills, and he continued to be a contributor on special teams for the Chiefs.

Cornell Powell: The former Clemson wide receiver is a member of the Chiefs’ practice squad.

Want to join in on the discussion? 100% FREE! Interact with fellow Tiger fans and hear directly from publisher Zach Lentz, deputy editor Brad Senkiw, recruiting analyst Jason Priester and staff writer Will Vandervort on any subject. Click here to become a member of the ALL CLEMSON message board community today!

Add us as a preferred source on Google