The Kansas City Chiefs clinched their sixth straight AFC West title following their 26-point win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs hope to keep the momentum going when they travel to Ohio to face the Cincinnati Bengals. Who will prevail in this battle of division leaders? Here's a breakdown of the Chiefs vs Bengals game.
Kansas City Chiefs installed as -5 favorites
Kansas City extended its winning streak to eight games with a resounding 36-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16. It was an important win for the Chiefs, who remained at the top of the AFC standings with their 11-4 record. They are one game ahead of the Tennessee Titans heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.
In the Week 16 win, Patrick Mahomes completed 23 of 30 passes for 258 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Byron Pringle benefited from Mahomes' outstanding play, catching six passes for 75 yards and a couple of touchdowns. He stepped up big time in the absence of Travis Kelce, who was sidelined because of COVID-19.
For the Chiefs to extend their winning run against the Bengals, they will need to continue their excellent play on the defensive end. Kansas City held Pittsburgh scoreless in the opening half, helping the Chiefs cruise to the easy win. The Chiefs scored the game's first 30 points before settling for a 26-point victory.
The Chiefs are fifth in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing just 20.4 points per game this season. They will be tested by a Bengals team that is seventh in the league in scoring, averaging 27.3 points per game this campaign.
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Cincinnati Bengals enter Week 17 as +5 underdogs
The Cincinnati Bengals grabbed the solo top spot in the AFC North with an emphatic 41-21 win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16. It was a huge win for the Bengals, who climbed up to third in the AFC standings with just two games remaining in the regular season.
In the divisional matchup, Joe Burrow took center stage, completing 37 of 46 passes for a career-high 525 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. It was a performance for the ages by Burrow, who set a new franchise record with Sunday's passing display. Only three quarterbacks in NFL history have passed for more yards in a game than Burrow.
Burrow picked the perfect time to deliver his record-breaking performance. The stakes were high in the Bengals vs Ravens game as the winner of that Week 16 clash would grab the division lead. The Ravens entered Sunday with a huge disadvantage as their leading quarterbacks, Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley, were both sidelined.
The Bengals ran riot against the undermanned Ravens as they completed the season sweep against their division rivals. Tee Higgins also put on quite a show, catching 12 passes for a career-high 194 yards and two touchdowns. Ja'Marr Chase nabbed seven receptions for 125 yards.
Writer's Prediction
Cincinnati wins over Kansas City in an upset.
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