Motivation abounds for Bengals, Bills

Trials drive Buffalo; Cincy feels forgotten

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Joe Mixon and the Cincinnati Bengals feel disrespected. Josh Allen and the Buffalo 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 in Buffalo on Sunday.

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. Being able to have that under our belts, understand those emotions in those situations, and just try to use it to our advantage.”

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.

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 Kansas City (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 will instead be played at Kansas City.

One major subplot involves the first meeting between Allen and Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

Since 2021, Allen ranks second in the NFL with 72 touchdown passes, followed by Burrow (69), with both finishing tied for second with 35 each this season. Allen has been intercepted 16 times, including twice in last weekend’s win over Miami, while Burrow has thrown 12 picks. Burrow finished fifth in the NFL with 4,475 yards passing, while Allen ranked seventh (4,283).

Burrow’s protection up front will feature three backup linemen after left tackle Jonah Williams dislocated his kneecap last week. Jackson Carman, a backup guard, will likely start for Williams on Sunday.

Jeff Dean The Associated Press Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd makes a touchdown catch Jan. 2 against the Bills in a game that would be canceled when Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest.