The Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Cincinnati Bengals in a highly anticipated matchup this Sunday, September 15, at 4:25 EDT at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. While this game isn’t happening later in the season like in years past, when these teams would meet with much higher stakes, it still holds significant importance, even in Week 2. Since both of these AFC teams are regularly in the mix toward the end of the season.
The Chiefs are heading into this game coming off a 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens at home, winning the battle of the 2023 AFC Championship rematch and barely outlasting Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. While, Joe Burrow and the Bengals, on the other hand, are coming off a completely different Week 1 performance, where they suffered a disappointing 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots at home.
Both teams enter this game aiming to put to rest certain narratives surrounding them. For the Chiefs, it’s the idea that with Burrow at the helm, the Mahomes-led Chiefs can’t beat the Bengals in the regular season. For the Bengals, it’s about shutting down the “slow start” narrative and questions surrounding Burrow’s health after their season opener. Ultimately, the goal for both teams is to win, no matter what. Let’s take a look at how both teams plan to achieve that in Week 2.
Since Patrick Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback in Kansas City, he has faced the Cincinnati Bengals five times. Joe Burrow didn’t play in one of those meetings due to injury, but the Bengals are 2-0 against Mahomes and the Chiefs in the regular season and 1-1 in the postseason, with all matchups dating back to 2022. These games have consistently occurred in December or January.
Kansas City enters this game as a 5.5-point favorite according to ESPN odds, with the over/under set at 48.5. This will be the fifth meeting between these teams with both Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes on the field, but the sixth time overall. Burrow, with a career record of 29-23-1, has already been to multiple conference championship games and a Super Bowl, winning the first over the Chiefs but fell short in the Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams.
However, with Burrow under center, he has never lost to the Chiefs in the regular season when Mahomes was on the other side of the field. In their two regular-season matchups, both in 2022, the Bengals won 34-31 and 27-24 at home. In fact, every game between Burrow and Mahomes has resulted in a three-point victory for one of the teams. The Chiefs managed to win only once, during the AFC Championship on January 29, 2023, in Kansas City, with a 23-20 victory. However, this remains the only home game the Chiefs have won with Burrow on the field.
Keys to Victory
After the Chiefs’ opening week performance, it’s clear that their offense will be fine moving forward, despite the youth on that side of the ball. This week, however, the defense must step up. In last week’s performance, the Chiefs held Lamar Jackson to one passing touchdown, but he also gained 122 rushing yards, a significant outlier. Joe Burrow is a better passer and can also be a running threat, so the Chiefs’ secondary, led by Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Justin Reid, and Bryan Cook, will need to be sharp in coverage.
Additionally, applying pressure to the quarterback will be crucial. The Chiefs struggled to sack Lamar Jackson last week, managing only one sack and one quarterback hit. However, Burrow, who was sacked twice and hit four times against the Patriots, should be an easier target. Chris Jones, Mike Danna, George Karlaftis, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah must find ways to get to Burrow and disrupt his rhythm because he excels at buying time in the pocket and picking apart defenses.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s hands will be full with Ja’Marr Chase, as Tee Higgins is questionable with a hamstring injury, and Tyler Boyd is no longer with the team. Joe Mixon is also gone, but Chase remains the biggest offensive threat. After a Week 1 performance where Chase had 62 receiving yards on six receptions and running back Zack Moss added 44 yards on nine receptions, the focus will be on limiting the Bengals’ aerial and ground threats.
Chiefs Defense Set for a Big Game
The Chiefs’ defense is set to have a season-defining performance this week against the Bengals, which could help the No. 2 defense from last year regain some of its former glory. In their Week 1 performance, they held Baltimore to a 1-for-4 mark in the red zone, allowing only one passing touchdown and limiting Baltimore’s passing game to 96 yards on 16 targets. Zay Flowers, Baltimore’s top receiver, was held to 37 yards on six receptions, while tight end Mark Andrews managed only two targets for 14 yards.
This defensive effort was powered by Chris Jones, George Karlaftis, and Tershawn Wharton up front, along with linebacker Leo Chenal’s standout performance as the spy on Jackson. The Chiefs’ secondary also shined, with Jaylen Watson leading with 11 tackles and Trent McDuffie surrendering only 22 yards on three targets. These players will look to replicate or exceed those performances against the Bengals, a team that has historically challenged the Chiefs’ defense.
As Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said in anticipation of this matchup, “There’s a lot of knowledge on both sides because we’ve played the Chiefs as much as we play a divisional opponent.” While the personnel may be different this time around, the key offensive components, namely Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, remain. With their 67% passing rate from last season, expect the Bengals to lean heavily on their passing game, particularly outside the numbers.
Bengals Want To Lead With Passing Game
In four meetings between the Chiefs and Bengals, Kansas City has allowed over 250 passing yards in each game. Cincinnati’s passing attack, led by Burrow, has consistently found success, even as the roster has changed. In Chase, worst game against Kansas City he recorded six catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. That performance was supplemented by Higgins’ 100-yard receiving day and Joe Mixon’s 88-yard rushing effort. Although with Mixon now gone and Higgins questionable, much of the burden will likely fall on Chase.
However, once Chase gets going, he’s nearly unstoppable. In their first meeting, Chase put up 266 yards and three touchdowns, while Burrow threw for over 450 yards. While that game may seem like a distant memory, the Bengals’ core duo remains. Chase, ranked the third-best wide receiver by PFF in 2024, has the potential for a game-changing performance whenever he faces the Chiefs.
To prevent a performance like this once again it will in large part come down to cornerback Trent McDuffie who will play a critical role in containing Chase. Going back to last season, McDuffie has effectively neutralized top receivers, as seen in Week 1 against the Ravens. However, this week, he faces an even greater challenge. McDuffie, ranked the second-best cornerback by PFF in 2024, has an opportunity to prove his worth by limiting Chase’s production. Shutting him down entirely is unlikely, but if McDuffie can limit Chase’s impact, the Chiefs’ chances of winning will greatly improve.
Players to Watch For Kansas City
There are many possible player matchups to watch for in this game. It will likely come down to which team can win in the trenches and which defense can make timely stops. With that in mind, the first player to watch for the Chiefs this week is second-year rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia. He had an impressive NFL debut in both run and pass blocking, surrendering only one pressure against the Ravens.
Head coach Andy Reid also shared his thoughts on Suamataia’s season-opening performance. “I thought Kingsley did some good things,” said Reid. “He’ll have plenty to work on going forward, but for his first time jumping in there against what I really think is a pretty good defensive line now, I thought he held his own. But there are things that he’s got to work on; he’s got another big challenge coming up this week — as does our whole offensive line.” This week, Suamataia will face another challenge, potentially lining up against the Bengals’ best pass rusher.
On the other side of the ball, McDuffie will be the defensive player to watch. His ability to contain Chase will be vital to the Chiefs’ chances of winning this game. Although shutting down a player of Chase’s caliber is impossible, McDuffie can limit his effectiveness. A performance similar to his Week 1 effort, where he kept Baltimore’s top receiver in check, will be needed to prevent Chase from taking over the game.
Players To Watch For Cincinnati
The first player to watch for the Bengals’ is going to be their defensive anchor, defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Known for late-game pressure, Hendrickson is relentless in applying pressure, even if he’s not the one securing the sack. His ability to disrupt the Chiefs’ offensive line will create opportunities for teammates and could single-handedly alter the game’s outcome.
Then on the Bengals offense, Chase is the player to watch. His performance will likely dictate how successful the Bengals’ offense performs in this game, especially with Higgins’ status uncertain. Burrow often turns to Chase in key moments, and if Chase finds a rhythm early, he can be nearly impossible to stop. Even if the Chiefs shut down other options, Chase alone can be enough to put the Bengals in position to secure this victory.
Final Thoughts
The Chiefs are aiming to start 2024 with a 2-0 record, a stark contrast to last season. A win against the Bengals would signal that the Chiefs have turned a new page in the Mahomes era, finally putting to rest the narrative that they can’t beat Burrow and the Bengals in the regular season. More importantly, it is crucial for playoff seeding later in the season, which could determine if Kansas City can secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs this year, something they were unable to do last season.
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