The Bengals prepare to face Chiefs again

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals went into Buffalo feeling disrespected and played their most complete game of the season.

With tickets on sale last week for a potential neutral-site Buffalo-Kansas City AFC championship game, the Bengals came into a snowstorm and dominated the second-seeded Bills.

Cincinnati’s 27-10 win — its 10th in a row — sets up a rematch with Patrick Mahomes and the top-seeded Chiefs in the AFC championship game Sunday.

The Bengals are peaking in the playoffs again, and nobody is more confident than quarterback Joe Burrow, who said this team is better this last year’s. That squad won 27-24 in overtime at Kansas City to advance to the Super Bowl, where it lost 23-20 to the Los Angeles Rams.

“We’re a more complete team and a better team,” Burrow said. “We just seem to make plays when it counts.”

With three backups playing on the offensive line against Buffalo, it was hard to predict how efficiently the Bengals’ offense could operate.

It couldn’t have gone much better.

Burrow completed 23 of 36 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns. He had zero turnovers and was sacked just once. He completed passes to eight different receivers.

“Unbelievable,” running back Joe Mixon said. “To come through in the snow and deliver dots the way he was doing it, that’s crazy. I’m going to be honest, that’s crazy. I’ve never seen anything like it, to be real.”

Mixon had a big game, too — a welcome development considering the Bengals’ running game had stalled in recent weeks. He rushed for 105 yards, averaging 5.3 per carry, and a touchdown. It was Mixon’s first 100yard game since Nov. 6 and only his second this season.

WHAT’S WORKING

Just about everything on Sunday. Cincinnati was balanced on offense, picking up 30 first downs, converting 6 of 10 third downs and finishing with 412 total