Bengals rally past Chiefs 34-31, clinch AFC North title

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Evan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal as time ran out, and the Cincinnati Bengals earned their first AFC North title and postseason appearance in six years with a wild 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Rookie Ja’Marr Chase had a franchise-record 266 yards receiving and three touchdowns on 11 catches, Joe Burrow threw for 466 yards and four scores while outdueling Patrick Mahomes, and the Bengals rallied from three 14-point deficits against the AFC West champs.

The Bengals’ winning drive was filled with drama.

On fourth-and-inches with under a minute left, the Bengals (10-6) decided to go for a touchdown instead of calling on McPherson for a field goal and giving the Chiefs the ball back with a chance to win.

Burrow threw incomplete in the end zone, but Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed was flagged for illegal use of hands, giving the Bengals a fresh set of downs. Backup quarterback Brandon Allen was called on to kneel twice before McPherson came on for the game-winner.

Burrow was outstanding again, completing 30 of 39 attempts. He was sacked four times and hit at least six more times but was as accurate as ever, and Chase caught everything that was thrown near him.

Mahomes looked as if he had the game under control early. He threw two first-quarter touchdown passes to give the Chiefs the early lead, but he didn’t get another one.

The Chiefs (11-5) led 14-0, 21-7 and 28-14 in the first half. They were ahead 28-17 at halftime before the Bengals began the latest of several second-half surges this season.

A 69-yard TD pass from Burrow to Chase early in the second half cut the Chiefs’ lead to 28-24. Kansas City responded with Harrison Butker’s 34-yard field goal.

Burrow then hit Tyler Boyd for a 5-yard TD, capping an 86-yard drive that was twice extended by flags on Sneed, including an unnecessary roughness penalty that gave Cincinnati first-and-goal at the Kansas City 7.

Mahomes was 26 for 35 for 259 yards and threw touchdown passes to Demarcus Robinson and tight end Travis Kelce, who caught a pass in his 125th straight game.

Kansas City’s Darrel Williams rushed for 88 yards and scored twice.

INJURIES

Chiefs: RT Lucas Niang suffered a knee injury in the first quarter and did not return.

Bengals: LG Quinton Spain suffered a right ankle injury in the second quarter and didn’t return.

UP NEXT

Chiefs: At Denver in the regular-season finale next Sunday.

Bengals: Finish next Sunday at Cleveland.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow celebrates after the Bengals defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 34-31 in an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/01/web1_127901740-a3203e03132f4e6fb46bec959a44d660.jpgCincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow celebrates after the Bengals defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 34-31 in an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (2) boots a winning 20-yard field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/01/web1_127901740-d14cd8f44df9472aaa3a0b9be50776c2.jpgCincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (2) boots a winning 20-yard field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, right, throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/01/web1_127901740-b46cd83518c3448898dd2fcca39befa0.jpgCincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, right, throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Kansas City 14 14 0 3 — 31
Cincinnati 7 10 7 10 — 34

First Quarter

KC_Robinson 29 pass from Mahomes (Butker kick), 9:21. Drive: 5 plays, 72 yards, 2:38. Key Plays: Mahomes 1 pass to D.Williams on 3rd-and-2; B.Bell 2 run on 4th-and-1. Kansas City 7, Cincinnati 0.

KC_Kelce 3 pass from Mahomes (Butker kick), 2:50. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 3:50. Key Plays: Mahomes 17 pass to Ty.Hill; Mahomes 24 pass to B.Bell; Gore 23 run. Kansas City 14, Cincinnati 0.

Cin_Chase 72 pass from Burrow (McPherson kick), 2:01. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 00:49. Kansas City 14, Cincinnati 7.

Second Quarter

KC_D.Williams 1 run (Butker kick), 12:56. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:05. Key Plays: Burton 2 run on 3rd-and-1; Mahomes 53 pass to Hardman on 3rd-and-10. Kansas City 21, Cincinnati 7.

Cin_Chase 18 pass from Burrow (McPherson kick), 7:42. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:14. Key Play: Burrow 17 pass to Boyd. Kansas City 21, Cincinnati 14.

KC_D.Williams 1 run (Butker kick), 2:18. Drive: 10 plays, 73 yards, 5:24. Key Plays: Pringle kick return to Kansas City 27; D.Williams 10 run; Mahomes 27 pass to Pringle on 3rd-and-4. Kansas City 28, Cincinnati 14.

Cin_FG McPherson 46, :41. Drive: 12 plays, 47 yards, 1:37. Key Plays: Burrow 7 pass to Uzomah on 3rd-and-4; Burrow 10 pass to Uzomah. Kansas City 28, Cincinnati 17.

Third Quarter

Cin_Chase 69 pass from Burrow (McPherson kick), 13:30. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:30. Kansas City 28, Cincinnati 24.

Fourth Quarter

Cin_Boyd 5 pass from Burrow (McPherson kick), 11:44. Drive: 8 plays, 86 yards, 4:27. Key Plays: Burrow 39 pass to Higgins; Burrow 10 pass to Chase. Cincinnati 31, Kansas City 28.

KC_FG Butker 34, 6:01. Drive: 12 plays, 52 yards, 5:43. Key Plays: Burton kick return to Kansas City 32; D.Williams 11 run. Kansas City 31, Cincinnati 31.

Cin_FG McPherson 20, :00. Drive: 16 plays, 74 yards, 6:01. Key Plays: Burrow 35 pass to Chase; Burrow 30 pass to Chase on 3rd-and-27; Mixon 1 run on 3rd-and-1. Cincinnati 34, Kansas City 31.

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KC Cin
FIRST DOWNS 23 23
Rushing 11 5
Passing 11 12
Penalty 1 6
THIRD DOWN EFF 6-11 4-10
FOURTH DOWN EFF 1-1 1-1
TOTAL NET YARDS 414 475
Total Plays 58 64
Avg Gain 7.1 7.4
NET YARDS RUSHING 155 60
Rushes 23 19
Avg per rush 6.739 3.158
NET YARDS PASSING 259 415
Sacked-Yds lost 0-0 4-31
Gross-Yds passing 259 446
Completed-Att. 26-35 31-41
Had Intercepted 0 0
Yards-Pass Play 7.4 9.222
KICKOFFS-EndZone-TB 6-6-6 6-2-1
PUNTS-Avg. 3-36.0 3-39.333
Punts blocked 0 0
FGs-PATs blocked 0-0 0-0
TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE 140 3
Punt Returns 2-32 1-3
Kickoff Returns 5-108 0-0
Interceptions 0-0 0-0
PENALTIES-Yds 10-83 5-62
FUMBLES-Lost 0-0 0-0
TIME OF POSSESSION 30:54 29:06

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING_Kansas City, Williams 14-88, Gore 3-37, Mahomes 2-25, Bell 1-2, Hill 1-2, Burton 1-2, Kelce 1-(minus 1). Cincinnati, Mixon 12-46, Burrow 5-10, Perine 1-4, B.Allen 1-0.

PASSING_Kansas City, Mahomes 26-35-0-259. Cincinnati, Burrow 31-40-0-446, B.Allen 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING_Kansas City, Hill 6-40, Kelce 5-25, Bell 3-35, Pringle 3-35, Williams 3-19, Robinson 2-33, Hardman 1-53, Gore 1-8, Gray 1-6, Gordon 1-5. Cincinnati, Chase 11-266, Mixon 7-40, Boyd 4-36, Uzomah 4-32, Higgins 3-62, Perine 1-10.

PUNT RETURNS_Kansas City, Hardman 1-29, Robinson 1-3. Cincinnati, Taylor 1-3.

KICKOFF RETURNS_Kansas City, Pringle 4-96, Burton 1-12. Cincinnati, None.

TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS_Kansas City, Fenton 7-0-0, Ward 6-1-0, Hitchens 4-4-0, Mathieu 4-2-0, Jones 4-0-2, Sorensen 3-0-0, Bolton 2-2-0, Thornhill 2-1-0, Gay 2-0-0, Reed 1-2-1, Clark 1-1-1, Nnadi 1-1-0, Sneed 1-1-0, Ingram 1-0-0, Niemann 1-0-0, Wharton 0-1-0. Cincinnati, Awuzie 10-0-0, L.Wilson 5-3-0, Ogunjobi 3-1-0, Apple 3-0-0, Bell 2-3-0, Hilton 2-3-0, Hubbard 2-3-0, Bailey 2-2-0, Bates 2-2-0, B.Hill 2-2-0, Flowers 1-1-0, Mic.Thomas 1-0-0, Reader 0-1-0.

INTERCEPTIONS_Kansas City, None. Cincinnati, None.

MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.

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OFFICIALS_Referee John Hussey, Ump Alan Eck, HL Sarah Thomas, LJ Carl Johnson, FJ Jabir Walker, SJ Allen Baynes, BJ Brad Freeman, Replay James Nicholson.

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