Buffalo Bills (2) – Cincinnati Bengals (3): 10-27
Under the driving snow of Buffalo’s winter, it was the Bengals who emerged victorious and advanced to the conference final. Dominating from start to finish, Cincinnati was never worried. Unfolding a smooth plan in attack based on a big ground game, Joe Burrow (23/36, 242, 2 TD) and his squad totally got their hands on the match despite the injuries on the offensive line, opening up a royal road to go find the Chiefs.
Key moment: the first drive of the match
In one drive, the tone of the evening was set. Six games, the ground reassembled, and the physiognomy of the match posed. A brilliant and effective alternation of passing and running, an effective Mixon, a precise Burrow, and his connection with Ja’Marr Chase to drive the point home. A pattern that the Ohio team reused almost the entire game by adding Tee Higgins or Hayden Hurst, but with the same efficiency.
Touchdown Bengals 🏈
On the run, in the air, Cincinnati unfolds. Joe Burrow finds Ja’Marr Chase for the 1st TD of the matchBills-Bengals: 00-07 I Q1: 11:40#CINvsBUF I #NFLPlayoffs I #RuleTheJungle
🎥 @NFLpic.twitter.com/w6yo3LLUuN
— DNA of Sports.com – NFL News 🏈 (@DNA of Sports) January 22, 2023
Movie of the game
After a one-sided first quarter in favor of the Bengals, we thought the worst for the suspense. Two drives perfectly executed and directed by an exemplary Joe Burrow, and Cincinnati quickly broke away thanks to two touchdowns in quick succession. First by Ja’Marr Chase well found by his quarterback, then by Hayden Hurst, totally forgotten in the end zone. The mastery is total.
Buffalo’s attack, limited to crumbs and forced to punt on its first two possessions, finally wakes up with the arrival of the 2nd quarter. A long possession of more than 7 minutes and 15 games, and Josh Allen concludes himself on the ground in force to reduce. A flash in the pan for the locals. Behind, punt, field goal and punt, they can’t pick up.
Because despite a punt, the triplet, Burrow, Chase, Mixon continues to pose a lot of worries to their opponents. Three points just before the break, a new touchdown from Joe Mixon on the way back from the locker room, it’s clean and fair. Hand on the ball, the clock is ticking. But if the attack has done the job so far, the defense plays its role in the best possible way. Completely annihilating a running game limited to 63 yards (including 26 for Allen), they also largely slowed down the quarterback and simply limited the Bills to 3 small points in the 2nd half. Interception at the end of the match is the just reward of a perfect match for this squad. Cincinnati secures its place in the AFC final after a game dominated from A to Z.
The MVP: Joe Mixon
Yes Joe Burrow had a full game, reading the game well and delivering passes in the right spaces to make the difference, especially in the 1st half. But the domination of Cincinnati was also played a lot on the ground. Joe Mixon (20 runs, 105 yards, 1 TD, 2 receptions, 18 yards) was essential in the strategy developed by Zac Taylor. By always brilliant during the regular season, the runner wakes up at the best time to carry his team and bring an alternation in the game which can quickly prove to be lethal.
The flop: The Bills defense
Unable to respond to the Bengals’ run-pass alternation, Buffalo’s usually solid defense never seemed able to respond to the opponent’s offensive pressure and find the necessary adjustments to react. A single sack, little pressure, no stolen ball, they left control of the leather to the Bengals and only managed to force the punt once.
The stat: 35 yards
This is the low number of yards garnered by Stefon Diggs. The Bills star receiver was perfectly muzzled by the opposing secondary and his influence on the game was impacted. What earned him a great anger on the edge of the field. Diggs seemed to blame his quarterback for his lack of production. Yet he was targeted 10 times, but only caught 4 balls. More proof that Cincinnati’s defense was impressive.
And now ?
Head to the Kansas City Arrowhead for the Bengals for Act II of the new American Conference rivalry. Surprise winners last year, Zac Taylor’s men have become the bane of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. A theoretical psychological ascendancy when going to win his place in the Super Bowl. For Buffalo, it’s a new disappointment with a defeat before the conference final for a team announced as favorite. Despite undeniable strengths, they fail to materialize in the matches that matter. Shortcomings in certain positions, and psychological failure? There will be work to hope to finally cross the course.
