Would a Win in the AFC Championship Game Be the Biggest in Franchise History?

[Science Friction]

We won AFC titles decades ago against the Bills and in the Freezer Bowl against the Chargers. However, both of those were at home and those were toss ups. This season most were expecting us to win only six or seven games, yet here we are playing for all the marbles against the team that has made a habit of Superbowl appearences.

Would a win Sunday be the biggest win in team history?

[kevin]

(01-26-2022, 04:44 AM)Science Friction Wrote: We won AFC titles decades ago against the Bills and in the Freezer Bowl against the Chargers. However, both of those were at home and those were toss ups. This season most were expecting us to win only six or seven games, yet here we are playing for all the marbles against the team that has made a habit of Superbowl appearences.

Would a win Sunday be the biggest win in team history?

I'm not taking away from 1981 or 1988.  I will say winning AFC Championship a 3rd time would be one of the 3rd biggest wins in team history. 

My brother pointed out that it is possible for yet another Bengals vs 49ers Super Bowl.  That would be weird if Bengals go back to Super Bowl and play same franchise they played in the other 2 Super Bowls. 

I Love that the Bengals Fans who have NEVER seen them go this far in play-offs are finally getting to enjoy it. 

[TheCincinnatiKid]

Yes, imo it would be.

You could argue the first AFC Championship win was bigger, as that was our first ever SB berth.

But I think where we've come from, to get to this season... 31 year playoff win drought. Kansas are an incredible team, and they're at home. Win this game, and it'd be the biggest win we've every had imo.

But it'll then be topped again 2 weeks after, so it isn't a big question

[TecmoBengals]

I'd view it as the same level of success as the previous two AFC Championship wins. If this team wins the AFC and suffers the same fate as the previous two squads, it will be interesting to debate which team is the best among the three. Fortunately, we're not having that debate since Burrow is bringing home a Lombardi.

[*PhilHos*]

(01-26-2022, 04:44 AM)Science Friction Wrote: We won AFC titles decades ago against the Bills and in the Freezer Bowl against the Chargers. However, both of those were at home and those were toss ups. This season most were expecting us to win only six or seven games, yet here we are playing for all the marbles against the team that has made a habit of Superbowl appearences.

Would a win Sunday be the biggest win in team history?

To me, it's dependent on who the opponent is. As you said, the previous 2 games were basically toss ups. This one is not. Most people expect the Chiefs to win. Sure, I've seen there are more picking us than I would've thought, but based on a lot of the talking heads, the discussion is how the Bengals COULD beat the Chiefs but there is rarely discussion on how the Chiefs COULD beat the Bengals. 

So, with that said, I'd argue this could be the biggest win in team history. Well, until we beat the 49ers 2 weeks later.

[*Awful Llama*]

At first blush it's hard for me to say that it would be bigger than the first AFC title game, and for a couple of reasons. One, that title came with the first playoff success this franchise had known in its first 14 seasons. It was ground-breaking, in other words. Secondly, there is so much lore surrounding the Freezer bowl, both for Bengal fans and the league as a whole. As the years pass the stories continue to fascinate and the imagined crowd size for that game only grows. No one really talks much about the '88 championship, by comparison, so I think it's reasonable to suggest it would eclipse that game.

Having said all that, I do understand there is a generational implication. I've been alive and a fan of this team to see that '81 playoff run, the Freezer Bowl and SB XVI, and all of that means a lot to me. I can't imagine what if anything all of that means to a 38-year-old fan born two years later. Probably not a lot, ancient history and all, but perhaps such a fan can enlighten me.

Given how much time has passed between those old glories and now, in the final analysis, I would have to concede that winning Sunday might eclipse anything that came before, because it would be a revival of sorts of the older fans, and a brand-new experience for any Bengals fans under 40+.

[fredtoast]

I don't think the fact that this team played a little worse during the regular season would make this AFC Championship any "greater" than the previous two.

[Speedy Thomas]

It would be very, very special. But I don't think it would top the Freezer Bowl. I woke up the morning of that game, heard the temperature, and thought there's no way they can play this game. Then we went out and absolutely out-toughed them. Hell, Dan Fouts still thinks it wasn't fair.

The interesting thing is that there are a quarter of a million fans who claim they were there in that 55,000 seat stadium.

[Sled21]

(01-26-2022, 12:43 PM)Speedy Thomas Wrote: It would be very, very special.  But I don't think it would top the Freezer Bowl.  I woke up the morning of that game, heard the temperature, and thought there's no way they can play this game.  Then we went out and absolutely out-toughed them.  Hell, Dan Fouts still thinks it wasn't fair.

The interesting thing is that there are a quarter of a million fans who claim they were there in that 55,000 seat stadium.

That's because it was the greatest game ever played.....

[Interceptor]

Considering what we're going up against (intensely hostile territory, loose officiating, opponent looking for revenge), I would say yeah.

[grampahol]

(01-26-2022, 12:43 PM)Speedy Thomas Wrote: It would be very, very special.  But I don't think it would top the Freezer Bowl.  I woke up the morning of that game, heard the temperature, and thought there's no way they can play this game.  Then we went out and absolutely out-toughed them.  Hell, Dan Fouts still thinks it wasn't fair.

The interesting thing is that there are a quarter of a million fans who claim they were there in that 55,000 seat stadium.

I was there in spirit.. No wait..There's no way in hell I'd voluntarily stand or sit in below zero weather unless I was already falling down drunk even in spirit even if they were giving away free vagina's.. LOL Come to think about it that year i had to go out in that crap to fix my car(s)..Scraping bare fingers in below zero against hard, cold steel?  Only a mad man would do that voluntarily! 

[Science Friction]

(01-26-2022, 02:08 PM)grampahol Wrote: I was there in spirit.. No wait..There's no way in hell I'd voluntarily stand or sit in below zero weather unless I was already falling down drunk even in spirit even if they were giving away free vagina's.. LOL Come to think about it that year i had to go out in that crap to fix my car(s)..Scraping bare fingers in below zero against hard, cold steel?  Only a mad man would do that voluntarily! 

Helluva  promotion idea right there. #pussycatinthejungle

[*jason*]

Maybe for 2 weeks or so.

[*psychdoctor*]

I feel the Bengals are going to win against Kansas City. They seem destined to win it all this year.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(01-26-2022, 04:44 AM)Science Friction Wrote: We won AFC titles decades ago against the Bills and in the Freezer Bowl against the Chargers. However, both of those were at home and those were toss ups. This season most were expecting us to win only six or seven games, yet here we are playing for all the marbles against the team that has made a habit of Superbowl appearences.

Would a win Sunday be the biggest win in team history?

I think so, I mean, this team at the Chiefs IN THEIR HOUSE, I mean, IN ARROWHEAD TO GO TO THE SUPERBOWL????

These are some big sticks we are holding if we beat them.

Cannot take away anything from those other 2 AFCC's except we were at Home in those games.

This would mean we can beat anyone on the road as well now. Would be monumentally huge honestly.