Burrow comes up in need of main Bengals again to Tremendous Bowl
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Joe Cool’s calm demeanor for the Cincinnati Bengals melted on a frigid night time in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
The sensible Bengals quarterback was sacked 5 occasions, threw two interceptions and was unable to drive downfield late within the fourth quarter of the AFC title sport. That gave the Chiefs an opportunity within the closing seconds, and Patrick Mahomes made the Bengals pay, establishing Harrison Butker’s last-second discipline purpose in a 23-20 victory Sunday night time.
The Bengals got here in having overwhelmed the Chiefs by three factors three straight occasions, together with final yr’s AFC title sport.
Burrow completed with 270 yards passing and a landing, although the 2 picks have been pricey. He additionally was penalized for intentional grounding on the Bengals’ final possession, then was sacked by Chris Jones on third down. Cincinnati was compelled to punt the ball again to Kansas Metropolis with 41 seconds to go — loads of time for Mahomes.
The All-Professional quarterback scrambled for a primary down with 8 seconds left, and was pushed late out of bounds by Bengals linebacker Joseph Ossai. That was sufficient to offer Butker a chance to kick the successful discipline purpose.
“We’re not going to make it about one play,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor mentioned of Ossai’s penalty. “There was loads of performs we left on the sphere immediately that would have put us in a greater place.”
A lot for “Burrowhead Stadium” — the identify some Bengals had taken to calling the house of the Chiefs. Theirs was the one QB to beat Mahomes three straight occasions, and in reality, Burrow was 3-0 in opposition to the mighty AFC West champs.
Burrow had been distinctive all season, setting Cincinnati data for move makes an attempt and completions alongside along with his 35 landing passes. And his efficiency in opposition to the Chiefs in early December was classic: Joe Cool was 25 of 31 for 286 yards passing, two touchdowns and no picks in his third straight overcome them.
Maybe most essential, the Chiefs solely sacked him as soon as in Cincinnati.
However after placing collectively three failed sport plans attempting to cease Burrow and the Bengals, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo modified issues up Sunday night time. He knew they have been lacking two beginning offensive linemen, and that heart Ted Karras was coping with a bum knee, so he started to blitz virtually from the opening snap.
Frank Clark was the primary to deliver Burrow down on the sport’s fifth play, forcing the Bengals to punt. Clark mixed with Willie Homosexual Jr. for a sack on the second play of their subsequent possession, then Jones received to Burrow — the primary postseason sack of his superlative profession — to drive a second consecutive punt.
Burrow was rattled and it was evident. He had minus-9 yards passing within the first quarter; the Bengals had minus-10 yards of whole offense.
He principally settled down within the second quarter, although, main the Bengals on a 63-yard drive that ended with a discipline purpose to get inside 6-3. And Burrow added a near-flawless 90-yard drive to finish the half, although that additionally netted only a discipline purpose, and the AFC North champions headed to the locker room trailing 13-6.
Burrow regained his cool within the second half. And shortly went to work.
After the Bengals compelled a three-and-out, he led them on a 62-yard scoring drive to tie the sport 13-all. It included a nifty draw by way of an enormous gap within the Kansas Metropolis protection to transform on third down and a troublesome TD throw to Tee Higgins.
When the Chiefs answered with a 77-yard scoring drive to regain the lead, Burrow fought proper again. He related with Ja’Marr Chase for 35 yards on fourth-and-6 for a primary down earlier than Samaje Perine’s TD tied the sport once more.
Burrow merely could not maintain making performs when the Bengals wanted them down the stretch.
The Chiefs’ protection had so much to do with it, too.
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