2023 AFC Championship Game Predictions: Can the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Chiefs?

When the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs face off on Sunday in the 2023 AFC championship game, an emerging animosity will be reignited. Since January 2022, there have been three meetings between the two clubs, with the Bengals coming out on top each time.

Although all three of those victories were decided by three points or less, the Bengals will still enter Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City with a confidence that few, if any other opponents, could muster in this situation.

For the rival teams' quarterbacks, this game is also important. While Patrick Mahomes will be trying to surpass Tom Brady as the youngest quarterback in league history to win three Super Bowls, Joe Burrow is 3-0 on the road in his playoff career.

Burrow and Mahomes will be a great attraction for spectators, and everyone will be hooked to the television to witness the iconic duo take the field. Since Burrow took over as the team's signal-caller, Mahomes has not had much luck playing the Cincinnati Bengals.

Kansas City will play in its fifth straight championship game. Mahomes will follow in the footsteps of legendary quarterbacks Ken Stabler and Tom Brady by starting five consecutive conference championship games.

The Cincinnati Bengals have experience playing in conference title games because they came here last year and prevailed. However, a few elements have become evident throughout the previous Chiefs-Bengals matchups.

One of them is the Bengals' ability to compete with the Chiefs. However, two-score defeats don't necessarily mean the Chiefs aren't in the same league as the Bengals. On the other hand, the two clubs are unquestionably among the best in the conference.

The other thing these matchups have shown us is that the Chiefs are facing the worst possible opponent in this one. Burrow is razor-sharp, and the Bengals' defensive unit is swiftly earning a reputation as tenacious and a serious hindrance to elite passers and attack. So for the Chiefs, a victory will take a lot of work.

Will Patrick Mahomes play against the Cincinnati Bengals?

Patrick Mahomes' health will be a concern for the Kansas City Chiefs before their AFC championship matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. During their victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday in the divisional round, the quarterback sustained a high ankle sprain to his right leg. The game's standout quarterback took a break from the action to obtain an X-ray but returned in the second half.

Thanks to his zeal and the importance of the game, Mahomes may recover quickly and continue the game despite being injured. It's also possible that Mahomes is still wobbling around as he did in the second half of the game last week. Mahomes is expected to play against the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game despite being plainly injured.