Bengals defeat Chiefs for third time in less than 1 year with balanced attack

The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs for the third time in less than one year Sunday afternoon, 27-24, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. The Bengal offense outgained the high-powered Chiefs, 431-349, including 152 yards on the ground.

The Bengals beat the Chiefs at home, 34-31, on January 2 and knocked off Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium in overtime, 27-24, in the AFC Championship Game on January 30 in Kansas City.

Cincinnati improves to 8-4 this season and remains tied for first place in the AFC North with Baltimore.

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Quarterback Joe Burrow went 25-31 for 286 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for a third. Running back Samaje Perine ran for 106 yards replacing the injured Joe Mixon for the second straight week. Mixon suffered a concussion against Pittsburgh two weeks ago. Ja’Marr Chase caught seven passes for 97 yards in his first game back since Week 7 against Atlanta.

Burrow hit Chris Evans for an eight-yard touchdown pass with 8:54 remaining in the game to put the Bengals ahead, 27-24. Kansas City drove to the Cincinnati 33-yard line but Patrick Mahomes was sacked on third and three, forcing the Chiefs to settle for a 55-yard field goal by Harrison Butker. His kick went wide right and Cincinnati ran out the clock.

The Bengals got on the board first when Burrow’s four-yard touchdown run capped an 11 play, 75-yard drive to start the game and give them a 7-0 lead. Butker’s 26-yard field goal cut it 7-3 after one quarter.

Burrow threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins to extend the lead to 14-3 with 13:33 left in the second quarter. After the teams exchanged punts, the Chiefs drove 81-yards on 14 plays, capped by a two-yard touchdown pass by Mahomes to Jerick McKinnon to cut the deficit to 14-10 at halftime.

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Kansas City opened the second half with the ball and took a 17-14 lead after an eight-yard touchdown run by Isiah Pacheco. Evan McPherson made a 36-yard field goal to tie it at 17-17 but Mahomes’ three-yard touchdown run reclaimed the lead for the Chiefs, 24-17, after three quarters.

McPherson made a 41-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 24-20 to open the fourth quarter. The Chiefs were looking to answer as Mahomes hit his favorite, tight end and former Cincinnati Bearcat, Travis Kelce for a gain of 19-yards but Germaine Pratt forced and recovered a fumble at the Bengals 47-yard line.

Burrow drove the Bengals 53-yards downfield on 10 plays and hit Evans for an eight-yard score to reclaim the lead, 27-24.

The Chiefs had a chance to respond but Mahomes was sacked on third down by Joseph Ossai and Butker missed from 55-yards that would have tied the game with 3:24 to play.

Burrow sealed the game on third down with a 14-yard completion to Tee Higgins with under two minutes left.

Cincinnati’s next game will be December 11 when they host their in-state rival, Cleveland Browns. It is the second game of “The Battle of Ohio.”

Cleveland won the first game, 32-13, on October 31 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns are winners of five straight games over the Bengals.

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. from Paycor Stadium. You can watch the game on Channel 7 and it will also be broadcast on WHIO Radio.