KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs will look to build upon their momentum from a dramatic opening-night win while the visiting Cincinnati Bengals will aim to forget a dismal showing in their opener when the teams meet Sunday.
The Chiefs (1-0) held on for a 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens when Isaiah Likely’s toe landed just out of bounds in the closing seconds, nullifying his would-be touchdown grab.
The Bengals (0-1) saw their offense sputter in a stunning 16-10 home loss to the rebuilding New England Patriots, with Joe Burrow completing 21 of 29 passes but only for 164 yards and no touchdowns.
The Chiefs and Bengals are certainly no strangers to each other. They are meeting for the sixth time in the last four seasons, with the Bengals winning three times, including the AFC Championship Game after the 2021 season in Kansas City.
The Chiefs returned the favor in the AFC Championship Game the following year, quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ first win over Burrow in four meetings.
Last season, the Chiefs topped the Bengals 25-17 in Week 17, a game Burrow missed with torn ligaments in his right wrist. Jake Browning started in Burrow’s place and the Bengals lost, eliminating them from postseason contention.
“Yeah, of course, you miss that,” Burrow said of sitting out last season’s matchup. “I just miss playing football. I miss being out there with the guys, so it’s a luxury right now to be criticized by all (the media) about how we played on Sunday, because I was sitting in the wings for seven weeks last year. So I’m just excited to be out there.”
Injuries could again play a key factor in Sunday’s outcome. On Wednesday, Burrow addressed his recovery from wrist surgery, as cameras caught him repeatedly flexing and rubbing his wrist during the Week 1 loss.
“It feels better this week than it did last week, than it did the week before, so it’s continually getting better,” Burrow said of the wrist.
While Burrow was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, receiver Tee Higgins, who missed Week 1 with a strained hamstring, did not practice. The Bengals are hopeful to get rookie right tackle Amarius Mims back and could get rookie defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. back after thumb surgery on Sept. 6.
Veteran receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown could be back for Kansas City to join Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Travis Kelce in the passing attack. Brown missed most of the preseason and the regular-season opener due to a shoulder dislocation he sustained during Kansas City’s preseason opener.
Coach Andy Reid said Brown was feeling better and making significant progress, though Brown sat out practice on Wednesday.
In the Chiefs’ Week 1 win, Mahomes completed 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards, with a 35-yard pass to the 21-year-old rookie Worthy, who also ran 21 yards for a score.
The Bengals, meanwhile, could get almost nothing going on offense, going three-and-out on their first three possessions, scoring just one touchdown and never holding a lead before a frustrated home crowd.
Kelce said on his “New Heights” podcast, “The Bengals are going to be ready for us. We’re going to be dialed up and have a great game plan. It’s going to be exciting to go up against one of the best teams in the league.
“I think they have a great defense. Their defensive coordinator (Lou Anarumo) always plays extremely tough. They’re very well coached. They got players all over the place, and great players all over the place. And sure enough, it’s one I would call rivals, now that we’ve actually won a few.”
After beating Mahomes and the Chiefs twice in the 2021 season and once in in the ’22 season, coach Zac Taylor and his Bengals have dropped the last two meetings, both in Kansas City, the site again of Sunday’s showdown.
Taylor said of going up against Mahomes, “He’s one of the greatest ever to do it. … He’s just a very aware player. He’s always in the moment. He’s got a lot of strengths, not a lot of weaknesses.”
–Mike Petraglia, Field Level Media
