[duncan_idaho]

Watched the second half possessions again this afternoon.

The Chiefs actually had good rhythms in all 3 possessions. The first two stalled due to drops by the Chiefs (including a tough second-down drop by Kelce on the first one that directly preceded the near pick by Cincinnati) and a hold on third-and-short on the second one.

Third possession, nice job by the Bengals to show pressure and bring it when Mahomes clearly thought it was a bluff. This led to a third-down incomplete with no real chance to succeed due to the pressure and a FG.

I've seen some Bengals fans suggest they adjusted and that's what slowed the KC offense. I can buy that on the third-down pass right before the FG, but that's really the only time the Bengals did something different.

It really is more, based on reviewing again, about the Chiefs making mistakes than anything the Bengals did.

SO much went right in this matchup for the Bengals. A good portion of it great plays by Chase and Burrow. But the number of drive-extending penalties against KC, and the drops BY KC were incredibly influential and unlikely to recur.