Bengals News (1/26): Cincinnati embracing attitude that can carry them all the way

Jan 26, 2023 - 1:00 PM

Bengals Quick Hits: Burrow And History; Another Frigid AFC Title Game; New O-Line Goes Silent
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow officially opened the festivities in Cincinnati Wednesday in his news conference with the AFC Championship Game logo behind him instead of the familiar Bengals "B." But with a second consecutive title game appearance, that is also becoming a familiar sight.

Injured Bengals OLs Alex Cappa, Jonah Williams still day-to-day
The Bengals used three reserves in Cincinnati's divisional playoff win over the Buffalo Bills. Jackson Carman replaced Williams, while Max Scharping took over for Cappa. Hakeem Adeniji has been at right tackle since Week 17, after La'el Collins went on injured reserve with a torn ACL.

Are the Bengals the NFL's next great villains?
Right there. During pregame warmups in Buffalo, an underdog against the mighty Bills, amid tens of thousands of table-jumping fanatics, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was so chill that he was flicking blind passes and pirouetting on his heel, holding the pose just long enough for the cameras to see. This video is like something out of "Glass Onion," all the clues right there in front of us if we'd paid closer attention.

'I don't think we got respect': Bengals enter AFC title game with chip on their shoulder | Opinion
Mike Hilton, the scrappy cornerback, wasn’t the only Cincinnati Bengals player thinking about tickets as he waved farewell to Buffalo Bills fans – and their team – during the final seconds of a convincing victory that sent the defending AFC champions back to the AFC title game.

Five Takeaways From the Cincinnati Bengals' Dominating Win Over the Buffalo Bills
All three phases of the team played extremely well and it’s honestly hard to find anyone that didn't play up to expectations for the Bengals in this game. They made it look easy, despite being 6-point underdogs. That's a testament to how underrated and mentally strong this team is. Let’s get into some of the takeaways from Cincinnati's 27-10 victory.

Inside Cincinnati Bengals DC Lou Anarumo's masterclass against the Buffalo Bills
One of the best showings of the NFL divisional round came not from any of the players on the eight teams, but from Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, whose unit held quarterback Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to just 10 points after they had scored 34 the week prior.

Bengals two wins away from joining 1971 Cowboys, 1972 Dolphins and 2018 Patriots in NFL history
Should they win the Super Bowl, the Bengals would join the 1971 Cowboys, 1972 Dolphins and 2018 Patriots as the only teams to win the Super Bowl a year after losing in the big game. The '72 Dolphins capped off the NFL's only perfect season by defeating Washington in Super Bowl VII. The 2018 Patriots won the franchise's third Super Bowl in five years -- and the final one during the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick era -- after posting a 13-3 win over the Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

Cincinnati Bengals' Offensive Line Gets Special Gift From Joe Mixon Following Win Over Buffalo Bills
“You got three new guys that haven’t played together a whole lot. It’s a loud environment which already makes it difficult with guys who are on the same page," right tackle Hakeem Adeniji said. "That was number one, obviously there’s other things but that was the biggest thing. I feel like we were able to nail that and we were in unison on a lot of the stuff that we were doing and it pays dividends.”

Cincinnati Bengals Are A Monster Snarling At NFL, Defeating Narratives And League's Best Teams
We saw that in all its glory this weekend as the Bengals brought their snarling attitude to Western New York and lined up the NFL, the Buffalo Bills, and every narrative about what’s supposed to happen. Then they took a heaping bite out of everyone and everything.

Around the league

NFL's unsung heroes in 2022 season: Spotlighting 1 overlooked/surprise contributor from each AFC team
Nick Shook is recognizing one unsung hero from each team, with the selections ranging from surprise difference-makers to players who don't get the attention they deserve. Today, he reveals the AFC honorees.

Eagles WR A.J. Brown wants the ball, but isn't a 'diva': 'I'll never be that guy'
"They throw the ball to me 100 times, I'm going to want it 101 times," Brown said, via ESPN's Tim McManus. "Me personally, I just feel like I can change the game at any moment. Getting the ball often keeps you going, keeps you in a rhythm. It definitely puts you in a zone; you're locked in. Of course, I want the ball."

RB Index, Championship Sunday: QBs headline juicy AFC title game, but running backs will decide winner
The AFC Championship Game is different. It features a highly anticipated quarterback showdown between Cincinnati's Joe Burrow and Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes. These two MVP candidates are the clear headliners of their second consecutive Championship Sunday meeting -- and understandably so, as Mahomes is arguably the best quarterback in the game right now, yet Burrow owns a 3-0 record in head-to-head matchups.

Niners lead way in comp picks for diverse rewards policy
The Niners were awarded five compensation draft picks in the third round for developing Martin Mayhew, Robert Saleh and Mike McDaniel. They'll receive two more for Ran Carthon and another if DeMeco Ryans becomes a head coach this offseason.

Three AP MVP finalists -- Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes -- to play on Championship Sunday
Two of the finalists, Bills quarterback Josh Allen and the Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, have already made their exits from the postseason, but Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will all play this weekend with a chance to to earn their team a spot in Super Bowl LVII.