Bills QB Josh Allen = Chiefs' Travis Kelce? Bengals DB Jessie Bates III Makes Comparison
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has built a reputation as being a running back-like signal-caller that invites contact, something that follows him into Monday night's road matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium.
But another offensive superstar, one that the Bengals have generally gotten the best of over the past year, has developed a similar reputation.
Cincinnati safety Jessie Bates III admitted Thursday that the Bengals are planning to treat Allen like Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce due to the physicality both guys play with. It's hard to imagine that Bills fans saw that comparison coming.
"We kinda label him as like a Travis Kelce when he has the ball in his hands," Bates III said. "He doesn't want to go out. It seems like as the game goes on, he wants to get hit. It kinda gets him going."
The Bills will be hoping they don't share similar results against the Bengals that Kelce and the Chiefs have had in recently. With a whopping three losses to Cincinnati in the 2022 calendar year despite not being divisional opponents, Kelce is now 1-4 against the Bengals in his career.
Whatever the Bengals are doing to Kelce and the Chiefs, it's clearly working. While he's had some solid games against Cincinnati, a 27-24 loss to the Bengals this season saw Kelce tie a season-low with four catches along with having just 56 receiving yards, his second-fewest when not scoring a touchdown this season.
The Bengals don't have many past experiences to go off of when it comes to facing Allen. He emerged victorious when the Bills beat Cincy 21-17 during his second season in 2019.
Bates III was the third-leading tackler in that game. He knows what's headed his way through the air and on the ground Monday night.
"Every week, you don't get to see a quarterback like this," Bates III said. "So it's something that you circle on your schedule."
The Bills (12-3) and Bengals (11-4) kickoff at 8:30 p.m. ET.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
Thanks for reading our SI-powered coverage of your Buffalo Bills ... Bills Mafia!
Get your Buffalo game tickets from SI Tickets ... here!
You're a member of Bills Mafia hungry for more Buffalo coverage? Read here.
