Cincinnati Bengals free safety Jessie Bates (30) knocks the ball away from Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) and Cincinnati Bengals safety Vonn Bell (24) intercepts it in overtime of the AFC championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Cincinnati Bengals defeated Kansas City Chiefs 27-24. Cincinnati Bengals At Kansas City Chiefs Jan 30 Afc Championship 103 — © Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Three Down Look: Bengals Beat Chiefs 27-24 to Punch Super Bowl Ticket

The franchise is now 3-0 all-time in the AFC Championship game.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Updated:
Jan 31, 2022 10:21 AM EST
Original:
Jan 31, 2022

CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are going to the Super Bowl. It will take some time for it to set in, but this team just added another reason to believe in them after toppling the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime.

They did it in just about the hardest way possible, trailing 21-3 late in the first half and becoming the second team in AFC Championship history to overcome an 18-point deficit. The grim reaper changed uniforms, as Patrick Mahomes crumbled under the second-half pressure, while Joe Burrow stayed calm and collected in every big moment.

The Bengals are now 3-0 in AFC Championship games. Let's find out how they pulled off another upset in the Three Down Look.

Lou Anarumo Keeps Pushing The Right Buttons

Every prediction you looked at this week—whether it had the Bengals or Chiefs winning—was built around a shootout. Things didn't quite work out that way after a torrid start from Kansas City.

The Chiefs scored touchdowns on each of its first three possessions. Patrick Mahomes (26-for-39 passing for 275 yards, three TDs, two INTs) was elite in the first half, averaging over one EPA/play and a 98 total QBR in the first 30 minutes. But then Andy Reid got greedy, and it flipped the whole vibe for a Bengals team fueled by chemistry.

Eli Apple's sound form tackle on Tyreek Hill at the goal line made sure Cincinnati had a strong chance to win the middle eight minutes. Their 7-0 scoring edge over that time made a major difference on the scoreboard. Cincinnati couldn't afford to let the Chiefs double-dip on scores to bookend halftime.

The halftime locker room is where Anarumo worked his magic, just like he did in Week 17. Mahomes' QBR dropped from 98 to 1.4 in the second half—the sixth-worst second-half performance in the NFL this season.

According to The Athletic, the Chiefs' second-half offense had its worst EPA/drive performance in any of the 74 games Patrick Mahomes has started. Tip the cap to Anarumo; he made the "grim reaper" fade away by keeping everything in front of the defense.

Cincinnati knew it had to accept an efficient Chiefs run game if it meant limiting big chunk plays down the field. Anarumo did that by playing with eight-plus defenders in coverage on a season-high 35% of plays. Mahomes numbers on those plays: 7-of-13 for 59 yards one INT, and two sacks (-14.4 pass EPA, career-low).

The half splits show an even bigger adjustment from the defensive coaching staff. Cincinnati ran eight-plus defenders in coverage on 24% of first-half plays and 45% of second-half plays. Anarumo recognized the Chiefs would be able to run efficiently regardless of his call and dared them to stay patient.

Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire averaged over five yards per carry in the first half. I guess winning that way wasn't flashy enough, and Cincinnati pounced on a floundering Kansas City team.

Joe Burrow: Built For It

The Bengals franchise quarterback has played one full season, and he has this team in the Super Bowl. He is the standard. Everyone has nightmares about Mahomes, and Burrow is Mahomes' new nightmare.

The Chiefs quarterback is now 0-2 when taking 14-plus point lead on Burrow. He is 39-2 against all others in that scenario.

Whatever it takes, Burrow is ready to deliver. He didn't have a historic stat line like he did in the Week 17 meeting, but his work on the margins set them up to walk off another win.

He completed 23-of-38 attempts for 250 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, but he was still the best offensive player in the game. He led all players with 8.6 total EPA. His legs played a factor in that EPA mark and picked up some crucial first downs in the second half.

Burrow ran five times for 25 yards on Sunday, tying his season-high rushing total set in the Bengals 15-10 win over Denver. The Bengals needed every one of those yards in situations where a healthy Chiefs secondary blanketed his weapons.

Once C.J. Uzomah left the game, Burrow's underneath options dried up, and his legs became that security blanket. His best play of the day came on the simple touch pass he sent to Samaje Perine on his 41-yard touchdown. It appeared he checked to that play at the line of scrimmage and it worked perfectly.

The Bengals desperately needed to get in the end zone before halftime to start leading the middle eight and flip the script. How about maligned right guard Jackson Carman with the seal to spring Perine?

This stretch flipped the game for Cincinnati, and you know whose expression never changed the entire time? Burrow. Never too high, never too low, and now he can join Joe Namath, and Joe Montana as the only quarterbacks in history to win a National Championship and Super Bowl.

Joe Cool, indeed.

Adjustments and Execution

It's amazing watching a seedling grow into a full-grown plant, and that is what this Bengals team feels like. So many little nuggets from the past two years showed up on Sunday.

"The Bengals don't sign impact-free agents."

Trey Hendrickson wrecked the game with 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hits. Vonn Bell had six tackles and the game-sealing interception in overtime.

"The Bengals can't protect Joe Burrow."

The big-bad Chris Jones and Kansas City had four quarterback hits and one sack.

"Zac Taylor and his staff can't make adjustments."

We already went through the coverage fix Anarumo employed, and Cincinnati scored the Trent Taylor two-point conversion on a play they installed less than a month ago.

"The Bengals' defense can't close games."

Three playoff games, three interceptions on the opponent's final offensive play.

This season has been a year of stuffing conventional thinking into the trash can. The Bengals won in primetime, they won the division, they won a playoff game, they won a road playoff game, and they became the first team besides New England to take out Kansas City in Arrowhead Stadium.

Now, they are AFC Champions and underdogs once again.

Onto Week 23.

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