One word to best describe the Kansas City Chiefs’ loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game is “arrogance.”
To blow off a sure field goal in hopes of scoring a touchdown with just five seconds to go at the end of the first half was pure arrogance.
Patrick Mahomes maniacally scrambling around and losing 15 yards on third-and-goal to force a 44-yard field goal at the end of regulation was also arrogant. Fortunately for Mahomes, kicker Harrison Butker bailed him out and made the kick to force overtime.
But the tone was clear. The Chiefs thought they could do whatever they wanted to the Bengals, whenever they wanted to do so.
Well, until the end of the game. That’s when the Bengals won it in overtime to claim the franchise’s third AFC Championship and first Super Bowl trip since 1989.
And they did so by intercepting Mahomes in overtime.
RING THAT BELL!
Watch on CBS pic.twitter.com/dDZVDGwW3i
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 30, 2022
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLIVE said the game spoke as much about the Chiefs in defeat as it did the Bengals in victory.
“Kansas City ain’t all that,” Madden said. “They are a really good team. But they go to pieces as often as not in pressure situations. Every year we wonder how many Super Bowls Patrick Mahomes is going to win. Maybe it’s only one.”
As for the Super Bowl on Feb. 13, the Bengals are 3.5-point underdogs to the Los Angeles Rams. They’ll be playing in the Rams’ home building of Sofi Stadium. But Madden doesn’t see that as much of an issue for the Bengals.
“How much home-field advantage will that be really? They didn’t have much home-field advantage against the Niners,” Madden said. “Whenever the Rams scored, it seemed to quiet the crowd. Los Angeles just isn’t a town that should have NFL football, let alone two teams. It’s going to come down to Burrow against L.A’s defense with Aaron Donald. And right now, I like the Bengals and the points.”
Related
• Tim Benz: Steelers quarterback situation makes it hard to buy what Art Rooney II is selling about Super Bowl goals
• First Call: Terry Bradshaw praises Ben Roethlisberger; thoughts on Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers, Mason Rudolph’s outlook
On the Steelers front, Madden is dubious of the statements made by Art Rooney II that his team still has Super Bowl aspirations for next year with a sizable question at quarterback with Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.
“That’s just nonsense,” Madden said. “I don’t think he really thinks that. If he does, he is a dope. This team is nowhere near a Super Bowl.”
Also in the podcast, Madden and I discuss the Steelers coaching staff, Tom Brady’s pending retirement decision and the Penguins’ three-game losing streak.
