The surprise was consumed. The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime on Sunday and advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1989, thanks to kicker Evan McPherson‘s 31-yard field goal.
The Bengals, who in this way were crowned in the American Conference, will play the Super Bowl on February 13 in Los Angeles against the winner of the NFC championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams.
Cincinnati will try to win the Super Bowl for the first time since the club began play in 1968. It lost twice to San Francisco in 1982 and 1989 in its only prior appearances in the NFL tournament finals.
Kansas trusted; Bengals do not forgive
The Bengals erased an 18-point deficit — tying an AFC Finals record — and took a 24-21 lead. But Harrison Butker’s 44-yard field goal as time expired sent the game into overtime, a week after his 49-yard field goal on the last play of regulation made his own against Buffalo.
A week after Josh Allen missed the overtime toss — giving the ball to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs — Cincinnati backup Brandon Allen suffered the same fate. The Chiefs they opened extra time with the ball, but Vonn Bell intercepted a pass from Mahomes on the third move and Burrow took care of the rest.
And now they’re headed to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1989 after their first playoff overtime win in their history.
WITH INFORMATION FROM AP
JL
