The underdog Bengals (-3.5) entered their Divisional Round matchup with the Titans in Nashville, knowing they could win. While a No. 1 seed, Tennessee was far from the juggernaut that you’d expect to see out of a team with a home-field advantage over the rest of the AFC bracket. If anyone was ripe for an upset, it was the Titans. By direct contrast, Cincinnati was a Cinderella in every sense of the cliche, had a bevy of confidence, a little Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins sprinkled in, and, of course, the unflappable Joe Burrow.
Or should I say, “Joe Cool”?
The Bengals are on to their first AFC Championship Game since the year of our Esiason, 1988. This comes a week after ending the NFL’s previous longest playoff drought. They got there first and foremost thanks to a stellar performance for Burrow, who cut up the Titans to the tune of 348 yards while they teed off on him without mercy.
