Let me preface this by saying that if anyone wants to call me crazy for saying what I am about to say, I won't take offense. Listening to Zac, Joe, and some of our players over the last couple or three weeks have convinced me that they wouldn't want to be anywhere but where they are headed this weekend. This team has a MAJOR chip on its shoulder. They are pissed at the NFL and feel disrespected by everyone involved in the sham playoff rule changes after the No Contest game.

Think about a time in your life when someone or some entity majorly disrespected you. There is nothing more infuriating AND motivating. You could see early on in Buffalo that the Bengals not only wanted to be there to pound Buffalo's ass but they were relishing the opportunity to stick it up the ass of everyone in that stadium an everyone at Park Avenue. The team played focused and ANGRY. Mixon was running like he wanted to hurt defenders. Carman was blocking @ssholes almost in the stands. Joe B. and Zac took shots at the NFL after the game.

I say all this because I think there is no other place the Bengals want to be on Sunday than Kansas City. If you listen to Zac closely, that's exactly the message you'll hear. They want nothing more than to shove it up Goodell's rectum by beating and dominating the Bills and Chiefs in their own backyards. What better way to stick it to the league and Goodell by hoisting the Lamar Hunt trophy in the friendly confines of Arrowhead... or as the Bengals have been calling it --- "Burrowhead."

I think it is quite possible that the Bengals actually preferred playing these games in Buffalo and Kansas City, so they could show the football world that the disrespect needs to stop here and now. I think they not only want to win they want to humiliate the KC Chiefs like they did the Bills.

Could it be that the Chiefs may disadvantaged in a sense by having a pissed bunch of Cats coming in to "Burrowhead" wanting , and expecting, to destroy them in front of their fans? The Chiefs, on the other hand, have the added pressure of having to perform well in front of their home fans or leave them disappointed again and having to watch the Bengals raise the trophy in their home stadium, just like last season.

I don't think the Bengals will be phased by the crowd, the cold, or the venue. Why ? Because I think it is exactly what they want. It gives them the opportunity to prove to the doubting media, league owners , Goodell, and anyone else who has failed to respect their talent and intestinal fortitude, that they are, without question, the LEGITIMATE AFC champions.

I think playing in Kansas City may have the Bengals playing with even more of an edge and attitude than if they were playing at home. I don't think there will be any letting up in Arrowhead. Burrow , Zac , Mixon, Hurst, and those big uglies are some bad, bad men . They want to come into Mahome Boy's house and leave with the hardware. I think these Cinci guys have huge boners about going into KC and making grown men, women, and children cry.

Taking everything into consideration do you think Arrowhead is going to be all that much of a home field advantage for the Chiefs this time around? While trying to screw over the Bengals, the NFL may have played right into the hands of this angry and vengeful bunch of Tigers.

What do you folks think?

I think it's true they find motivation in it. But they also very clearly love playing at home. We all saw the energy they came out with in that MNF against Buffalo. And how they love celebrating with their fans. I agree the chip is real, and they'll use going on the road as extra motivation. But I don't think they'd be any less up for the game if it was the AFCCG in Cincy this weekend.

(01-25-2023, 12:57 AM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I think it's true they find motivation in it.  But they also very clearly love playing at home.  We all saw the energy they came out with in that MNF against Buffalo.  And how they love celebrating with their fans.  I agree the chip is real, and they'll use going on the road as extra motivation.  But I don't think they'd be any less up for the game if it was the AFCCG in Cincy this weekend.

Not any less up for it but maybe even with more of an edge to them in Arrowhead.  I think they want to stick it to Goodell and what better way to do it than raising the trophy in KC.

Bengals are seasoned road dogs and will come into teams own House and deliver a butt whooping.

It's a beautiful thing

I think they should back off teh Burrowhead statements. Yes, Joe is 3-0 against the Chiefs, but the last 5 ACCCG's have been at Arrowhead? That is quite an accomplishment and there is no reason to fire them up over it. They're tough enough as it is.

Zac built this team with two things in mind:

1. Take control of the AFC North
2. Be mentally strong and disciplined to play in hostile environments

This is what this team is built for!

(01-25-2023, 09:33 AM)Interceptor Wrote: Zac built this team with two things in mind:

1. Take control of the AFC North
2. Be mentally strong and disciplined to play in hostile environments

This is what this team is built for!

Burrow said it best last year, "You know, if we win the Division we can win the whole thing!" That's not just talk, if you can win the AFCN,t there really aren't many teams that can out physical you.

(01-25-2023, 09:36 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Burrow said it best last year, "You know, if we win the Division we can win the whole thing!" That's not just talk, if you can win the AFCN,t there really aren't many teams that can out physical you.

True. As much as we hate each other, it's the toughest division in the NFL.

Nice post and a lot of good points.

The Bengals would still rather play at home.

(01-25-2023, 09:22 AM)Sled21 Wrote: I think they should back off teh Burrowhead statements. Yes, Joe is 3-0 against the Chiefs, but the last 5 ACCCG's have been at Arrowhead? That is quite an accomplishment and there is no reason to fire them up over it. They're tough enough as it is.

Yeah, I don't know where this "Burrowhead Stadium" saying got started or how widespread it is. If I were the Chiefs players or fans, I'd be pissed hearing that. Burrow won one time in Arrowhead, in an overtime game. Why give the other team all this bulletin board material? Bengals have been playing with a chip on their shoulder given the disrespect shown them and now we want the Chiefs to feel disrespected? Makes no sense.

I think the Chiefs have (way) more pressure to win this game than the Bengals do, honestly.
Whenever you're playing in front of your home crowd, there's often more expectation for a win.
On top of that, you're the crown of the conference from the past 5+ years, taking the top seed this year.
Add in Burrow being 3-0 against them, and they REALLY want to flip the script.

(01-25-2023, 01:13 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I think the Chiefs have (way) more pressure to win this game than the Bengals do, honestly.
Whenever you're playing in front of your home crowd, there's often more expectation for a win.
On top of that, you're the crown of the conference from the past 5+ years, taking the top seed this year.
Add in Burrow being 3-0 against them, and they REALLY want to flip the script.

Yeah, in my mind, the Chiefs are either going to play really tight leading to mistakes because of the pressure of going 0-4 against the Bengals and Joe Burrow or they're going to be laser focused leading to a close, hard fought game between our 2 powerhouse teams.

(01-25-2023, 01:13 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I think the Chiefs have (way) more pressure to win this game than the Bengals do, honestly.
Whenever you're playing in front of your home crowd, there's often more expectation for a win.
On top of that, you're the crown of the conference from the past 5+ years, taking the top seed this year.
Add in Burrow being 3-0 against them, and they REALLY want to flip the script.

Agree, they are dying to not go 0-4 vs. JB lead Bengals.

(01-25-2023, 09:33 AM)Interceptor Wrote: Zac built this team with two things in mind:

1. Take control of the AFC North
2. Be mentally strong and disciplined to play in hostile environments

This is what this team is built for!

Agree but feel like the North is the only teams that give the Bengals trouble.

Seems like the Bengals dominate everybody else

From what I can tell and my observations, it seems like the Cincinnati Bengals play tight at home which isn't a good thing. I don't know if it's the crowd or they have family and friends in the stands, but with the exception of the Buffalo bills game on Monday night they just look tight. Even Joe cool. They play loose when visiting teams because as Joe said it's just the guys and it's the team against the world kind of thing.

With that said, Kansas City is a very difficult place to win a game. Yes, this Cincinnati Bengals beat him last year but that was just one game. On their field. This is going to be a brutal knock down brawl.

(01-25-2023, 07:53 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Agree but feel like the North is the only teams that give the Bengals trouble.

Seems like the Bengals dominate everybody else

Because we weren't specialized to beat just one specific team.

(01-25-2023, 07:53 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Agree but feel like the North is the only teams that give the Bengals trouble.

Seems like the Bengals dominate everybody else

Well they only lost one game outside the division so that’s pretty accurate. They have lost zero games outside the division since week 2.

(01-25-2023, 09:21 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Well they only lost one game outside the division so that’s pretty accurate. They have lost zero games outside the division since week 2.

Yep and feel we should have won the Dallas game even though Burrow was not back to full speed yet. 

Burrow is a career 11-10-1 on the road and 3 of the 4 losses this year came on the road.
Mahomes is a career 31-7 at home and 2 of their 3 losses this year came on the road.

There is no home field (dis)advantage. The Bengals match up well against the Chiefs, but it's not a disadvantage for the Chiefs to be at home.

(01-25-2023, 09:36 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Burrow said it best last year, "You know, if we win the Division we can win the whole thing!" That's not just talk, if you can win the AFCN,t there really aren't many teams that can out physical you.

(01-25-2023, 10:26 AM)Interceptor Wrote: True. As much as we hate each other, it's the toughest division in the NFL.

Now that he seems OK and we're passed it, I don't have a problem saying it . . . the moment Tee Higgins turned up field and ran through Hamlin, I thought to myself "Looks like Tee just showed them what life is like in the AFC North. These teams(KC included) aren't built for THIS." Aaaaaaaaand then . . .