‘On to Kansas City;’ Bengals to play in back-to-back AFC Championship games for 1st time ever

ORCHARD PARK, NY — The Cincinnati Bengals are heading to Kansas City for the second straight season to play the Kansas City Chiefs in back-to-back AFC Championship games for the first time in franchise history.

“We’re built for this,” said Bengals coach Zac Taylor after the game. “You know, it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks about us.”

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The Bengals got their defeating the Buffalo Bills, 27-10, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.

“We don’t care who’s favorite, who’s not,” Taylor said. “We’re built for this and we’re excited to go on the road to Kansas City.”

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News Center 7′s Brandon Lewis was in western New York for the game and one point, the Buffalo crowd was silent and you could, “Who Dey” chants loud clear from Bengals fans. Those chants will continue as Cincinnati is moving in the NFL Playoffs.

“Who Dey, Who Dey, Who Dey think gonna beat dem Bengals!” fans shouted after the game.

The trip to western New York was worth it for Bengals fans.

“We were hoping to get a win and we were walking away with a win,” said Angela Clemons, Bengals fan. “Just unbelievable, unbelievable. On to Kansas City.”

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Lewis says it was an electric atmosphere for the highly anticipated game and Bengals started out strong from the opening kickoff.

Joe Burrow threw two first quarter touchdowns, 28-yards to Ja’Marr Chase and 15-yards to Hayden Hurst to put Cincinnati ahead, 14-0, after one quarter. The Bills got on the board with a one-yard touchdown run by Josh Allen to cut it to 14-7 in the second quarter but the Bengals were just too much.

Joe Mixon added a one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Evan McPherson made two field goals to cap the scoring.

Burrow said after the game the Bengals are “a more complete team.”

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“I think we’re a better team and we just seem to make plays when it counts,” he said. “That’s all there is to say.”

Fans have been waiting a long time for professional team from Cincinnati to win a championship.

“I have been for waiting for 32 years, my entire life for this moment. This city is hungry, we want a championship, this is the team to do it,” Brandon Storms told Lewis. “Joe Burrow’s going to take us to the promise land. Ja’Marr Chase is going to take us to the promise land. We’re coming for it all.”

The last professional Cincinnati sports team to win a championship was the 1990 Cincinnati Reds.

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Cincinnati will play Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 29 for a trip to Super XLVII.

The Chiefs advanced to the AFC Championship game beating Jacksonville, 27-20, Saturday.

The Bengals won last year, 27-24, in Kansas City advancing to Super Bowl LVI.

The two teams met on December 4 in Cincinnati where the Bengals won, 27-24, at Paycor Stadium.

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News Center 7 will have coverage of the Bengals and Chiefs leading up to kickoff.

This includes the Orange Zone Sunday morning, January 29, at 11:30 a.m. with John Bedell and Larry Hansgen.

News Center 7′s Brandon Lewis will also provide live coverage from Kansas City.

Kickoff between the Bengals and Chiefs will be at 6:30 p.m.

The game will be televised on Channel 7.