The Bengals fell short against the Chiefs and were eliminated in the AFC Championship game. It was a close one throughout, though there were lapses on both sides of the ball, as well as some other factors that all contributed to the loss. For one final time this season, let’s take a look at the good and bad from Sunday’s game.
The Good:
- WR’s, Tee Higgins & Ja’Marr Chase
Despite facing constant double teams, Higgins and Chase both found ways to make an impact on the game. Each made 6 catches, with Higgins going for 83 yards, and Chase 75. Higgins’ highlight was a 27 yard TD catch where he elevated over top of two defenders to come down with the ball. For Chase it was a 35 yard catch to convert on a 4th & short. Like Higgins, he also elevated over two defenders for the ball.
- Bend but don’t break defence
The Bengals defence did give up some big plays to the Chiefs, which could have been expected. However, their ability to get off the field when the Chiefs were in or close to the redzone was pretty good. Guys made some plays at opportune times, and it resulted in early field goals, which kept the game close.
- OT, Jackson Carman
It wasn’t a good game for the Bengals OL as a unit, but Carman was pretty solid, overall. Just a short time ago, he was viewed as someone you’d just be happy to ship off for a 6th round pick in order to cut your losses on the investment. However, he has instilled new hope that he can be a reliable depth option for the Bengals. Taking it one step further, maybe he can claw his way back into the conversation to start. It is a bit premature for these conversations right now, as the season only just ended. But Carman’s late season progress is, at the very least, encouraging.
The Bad:
- Right Side of the Offensive Line
The OL as a unit was poor, but it was the right side that deserves most of the blame. RG Max Scharping gave up several pressures and some sacks, and you could say that Hakeem Adeniji was even worse at RT. I find Adeniji’s performance especially disappointing, given that he has had a lot of bright moments this year, moving back to the tackle position. Unfortunately, he could not keep that going in the AFC Championship.
- The Run Game
The Bengals passed the ball early and often, failing to ever establish the run. Burrow was the leading rusher with 30 yards on 4 attempts. Perine rushed 5 times for 22 and a TD, while Mixon rushed 8 times for only 19 yards. In a game where controlling the clock would have been beneficial, 13 carries by your RB’s is not enough.
- Penalties
The Bengals were penalized quite a lot in this game. Though the reffing wasn’t great in the end (more on that later), most of the calls were correct in the early-mid portions of the game. The Bengals were undisciplined in the secondary, and the OL also committed some that hurt drives. And of course, the penalty on Ossai at the end of the game was brutal. You have to feel for him, but it also must be acknowledged that you can’t make stupid mistakes like that, as they are often very costly.
- The Refereeing
The refereeing in this game, especially late, was terrible. Several calls were missed against the Chiefs, including blatant holds, hands to the face, and blocks in the back. What really hurt was the timing of some of these missed calls. Many of them came on plays that ended up having a big impact on the game. If you’re the Bengals, you want to put yourself in a position so that calls like this won’t have such a big impact on your chances. However, they were unable to draw off a little bit, and in a close game, the reffing had an did ultimately have an effect on the game.
- P, Drue Chrisman
Though the distance on most of his kicks, outside of the shank, were pretty good, his hang time was well below the standards of an NFL punter. On his final punt, it went 54 yards, but he outkicked the coverage and the returner went for a big gain. It gave the Chiefs great starting field position on what went on to be their game winning drive.
- CB, Mike Hilton
It wasn’t a good day for Hilton in coverage. He was burned often in coverage, giving up over 100 yards and a TD. Valdes-Scantling lined up often in the slot, and Hilton did not seem to have an answer.
Modified Homescreen Image Via: All-Pro Reels (CC)