The Chiefs and Bengals are meeting for the second time this season, and this month, after the Bengals beat the Chiefs 34-31 on Jan. 2.
This time, Kansas City and Cincinnati will meet in the AFC Championship. The Bengals haven’t made it to this game since 1988, but this marks the Chiefs’ fourth straight appearance.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was hoping to face the Bengals in this year’s playoffs. After Joe Burrow and the Bengals beat the Chiefs a few weeks ago, Mahomes told Burrow after the game that “you’ll see them in the playoffs.”
The 26-year-old Chiefs quarterback is in his fifth season, but the 25-year-old Burrow is only in his second season with the Bengals. This will be the first time the two young quarterbacks have met in the playoffs, and it will only be the second time Mahomes and Burrow have met.
Ten of the 16 AFC teams have a starting quarterback age 26 or younger. Crazy enough, Mahomes is one of the oldest quarterbacks in the AFC right now. Sunday’s AFC Championship game will continue to give fans a look into the future of the AFC.
AFC quarterbacks and their age:
-Josh Allen (25)
-Patrick Mahomes (26)
-Justin Herbert (23)
-Lamar Jackson (25)
-Joe Burrow (25)
-Trevor Lawrence (22)
– Deshaun Watson* (26)
– Tua Tagovailoa (23)
-Mac Jones (23)
-Zach Wilson (22)just crazy
— Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL) January 24, 2022
Both quarterbacks have had two spectacular playoff performances each. Mahomes had 433 total yards (404 passes) with five touchdowns in the Chiefs’ wild-card win over the Steelers, and finished with 447 total yards (378 passes) and three touchdowns in their division win against the Bills. Burrow had just 242 total yards with two touchdowns in his wild card win over the Raiders. He had 353 total yards against the Titans, but finished with zero touchdown passes.
However, Burrow surpassed Mahomes in their Week 17 matchup, throwing for 446 yards and four touchdowns in the game. Mahomes had nearly 200 fewer yards than Burrow, finishing with 259 yards and two touchdowns.
Burrow will travel to Arrowhead Stadium for the first time in his career. Including the playoffs, the Bengals are 6-3 in road games this season, while the Chiefs are 9-2 at home. The last home game the Chiefs lost was on September 26 against the Chargers.