The Cincinnati Bengals are going to the Super Bowl and that didn’t look like how things would play out in the first half of Sunday’s game at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chiefs scored touchdowns on their first three possessions of the game and were up 21-3 before a Samaje Perine touchdown put the Bengals within 11 points at halftime. They’d also score the next 14 points of the game to take a 24-21 lead before the Chiefs forced overtime. Cornerback Eli Apple picked off a pass to end the Chiefs’ first possession of overtime, however, and rookie kicker Evan McPherson continued a memorable postseason by giving the team a 27-24 win.
It was similar to the way the Bengals came back to beat the Chiefs in the regular season and it matched the biggest comeback in an AFC title game. Quarterback Joe Burrow said on CBS after the game that it was also true to the Bengals’ comeback spirit.
“We’ve been a second half team all year,” Burrow said.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor added that the team is “not done yet” and they will now watch the NFC championship to find out who they’ll be facing in Los Angeles on February 13. Beating that team might be easier if they get out to a fast start, but no one will be counting the Bengals out should they reach halftime on the wrong side of the scoreboard.