For the first time in six years, the Cincinnati Bengals have won the AFC North and earned a playoff spot, rallying from a 14-point deficit three separate times on Sunday for a 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Paul Brown Stadium.
The Bengals young and talented corps at the skill positions had huge games for Cincinnati, with rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase shattering an NFL record with an 11 catch day, picking up three touchdowns and 266 yards. Second-year quarterback Joe Burrow connected for 466 yards and four touchdowns, bumping Kansas City from the potential #1 seed in the AFC with one week remaining in the regular season.
Cincinnati won the game on a 20-yard field goal by rookie kicker Evan McPherson as time expired, with the Bengals, after going for it on 4th and goal from the one yard line with less than a minute left, receiving the benefit of a Kansas City defensive interference penalty, giving the Bengals a fresh set of downs and the ability to run down the clock for the winning kick.
Chase’s 266 receiving yards broke the rookie record established by the Buffalo Bills’ Jerry Butler (255 yards) against the Jets on September 23, 1979.
Kansas City, in falling to 11-5, blew leads of 14-0, 21-7, and 28-14, all established in the first half. The Chiefs led 28-17 at halftime, but threw a chance at a greater lead, with a potential kickoff return for a touchdown late in the half called back by a holding penalty.
Kansas City now will need a victory on Saturday at Denver, combined with a Houston win over Tennessee on Sunday, to rip the #1 seed in the conference away from the Titans. Cincinnati, assured of a home playoff game on the opening weekend of the playoffs, will finish the regular season on Sunday at in-state rival Cleveland.
Other NFL scores from January 2, 2022:
LA Rams 20, Baltimore 19
Buffalo 29, Atlanta 15
Chicago 29, NY Giants 3
Las Vegas 23, Indianapolis 20
New England 50, Jacksonville 10
Tampa Bay 28, NY Jets 24
Tennessee 34, Miami 3
Philadelphia 20, Washington 18
LA Chargers 34, Denver 13
San Francisco 23, Houston 7
Arizona 25, Dallas 22
New Orleans 18, Carolina 10
Seattle 51, Detroit 29
Green Bay 37, Minnesota 10
