When the Cincinnati Bengals upset the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this month, there were not-so-quiet doubters who suggested it was a fluke.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid isn’t among those.
Speaking to the media at his weekly presser before the Bengals and Chiefs collide in the AFC championship, Reid said the following about the Week 17 game:
“They made big plays on us on both sides of the ball. They were able to slow us down and then pick it up on the offensive side. So, we’ve got to do a better job all the way around, special teams included. Every phase can be better.
“They beat us. It wasn’t a fluke. They beat us, so they’re a good football team and it’s important that we have a great week of preparation here, and that’s one reason why the urgency level is there even yesterday once the game was over to get busy.”
Nobody around the game seemed to think it was much of a fluke at the time — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes even told Joe Burrow they’d see them again in the playoffs.
Turns out he was right.
That Week 17 game, a 34-31 win for the Bengals, featured 446 yards and four scores from Burrow, 266 and three of those going to Ja’Marr Chase. They’re the unquestioned x-factor that will decide whether the Bengals can silence any remaining doubters while advancing to the Super Bowl.
