Disrespected Bengals and driven Bills ready to clash
Joe Mixon and the Bengals feel disrespected. Josh Allen and the Bills have plenty to motivate them — starting with safety Damar Hamlin’s remarkable recovery — in a season of overcoming adversity.
Two teams that bonded three weeks ago in Cincinnati in deciding their since-canceled game could not proceed after Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field have much to prove in an AFC divisional-round playoff showdown today at Buffalo.
For the Bills, the mere sight of Hamlin making regular visits to their facility this week was uplifting. What’s more, the Bills believe they’re battle-tested and capable of surmounting any remaining obstacles to achieve their preseason Super Bowl aspirations.
“I think it gives you a more sturdy foundation. The more struggle, the more adversity that you can see over the course of the year, it just makes you stronger,” Allen said. “We’ve been in some really weird situations this year that not a lot of teams maybe have ever gone through.”
The Bills have weathered two winter storms that disrupted their schedule, mourned the death of tight end Dawson Knox’s younger brother, Luke, in August, and rallied to their community’s aid in the aftermath of a racist shooting that left 10 Black people dead at a Buffalo supermarket in May.
Hamlin’s collapse and recovery is but the latest — and most personal.
In Cincinnati, Mixon might speak for all the Bengals in expressing his unhappiness over his team getting the short end of the stick from the NFL.
Already annoyed over the Bengals being placed at a disadvantage to finish higher than the AFC’s third seed, Mixon added another chip to his broad shoulders this week once the NFL began selling tickets for a potential Bills-Kansas City Chiefs matchup in the AFC championship game, which would be played in Atlanta.
“To be honest, it’s disrespectful,” Mixon said, after the NFL’s ruling to go to a neutral site kicked in once the Bills (13-3) finished the season a half-game behind the Chiefs (14-3). The Bengals (12-4) were left out of the picture even though they defeated the Chiefs this season, and missed out on their opportunity to pass the Bills in the standings once their game was called off.
An AFC championship between the Bengals and Chiefs would instead be played in Kansas City.
No matter, said Mixon.
“We got a game to play on Sunday, right? So you can’t count us out,” he said. “We’re going to go out there on Sunday and do what the hell we gotta do to get that dub. Then we’re going to see what they’re talking about.”
Prescott, Purdy playing at high level heading into showdown:
Dak Prescott shook off some late-season struggles and once again looked in top form in the Cowboys’ playoff opener.
Brock Purdy looked just as good as he has ever since stepping in as the starter for San Francisco, part of his improbable journey from seventh-round pick to playoff quarterback.
With both QBs coming off impressive games in the wildcard round, the Cowboys (13-5) and 49ers (14-4) look like offensive juggernauts heading into tonight’s matchup in the divisional round.
Presott threw for 305 yards and four TDs and ran for another score in the Cowboys’ win at Tampa Bay, setting a franchise record by accounting for five TDs in a playoff game.
It was a far cry from the way Prescott ended the regular season with 11 interceptions in his final seven games.
“Dak has always been a challenge,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “[He’s] a pure pocket passer who can make all the throws in there and read the defense really well and get the ball to the right spots and do it accurately.”
While Prescott getting back to that form should be little surprise, Purdy’s performance has been less expected.
The player picked last in April’s draft has played like a star since replacing an injured Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13. Purdy has thrown at least two TD passes in seven straight games and has won all six starts while running an offense filled with playmakers like Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, and a solid offensive line.
He threw for 332 yards and three TDs and ran for a score in a win over the Seahawks, becoming the first rookie QB to account for four TDs in a playoff game and throwing for the most yards by a rookie in a playoff win since Sammy Baugh in 1937.
“I definitely won’t underestimate him,” Cowboys All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons said.