Three KC Chiefs players who need to step up against Bengals

With the Kansas City Chiefs set to host the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals, these three KC players will need to step up.

Following a bittersweet NFL Divisional Round the Kansas City Chiefs are set to face the Cincinnati Bengals in Arrowhead, marking the fifth straight time the Chiefs have hosted an AFC Championship game and a new NFL record. Alas, Chiefs Kingdom suffered a crucial setback during their 27-20 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars as quarterback Patrick Mahomes sustained a high ankle sprain early in the first quarter. Despite displaying clear signs of being in pain and dealing with limited mobility, Mahomes only missed one drive proving that even on one leg he is still the league’s best player.

When Mahomes has been injured in years past, we have seen the rest of the roster rally around him and raise their level of play to find success, both in the regular and postseason. It will take nothing short of maximum effort across the board for KC to make their third Super Bowl under Mahomes, though three players, in particular, are critical for the Chiefs beating the Bengals this Sunday.

Orlando Brown Jr.

Any Chiefs fan knows that the team’s success, especially in the postseason, is largely dependent upon Mahomes’ ability to maneuver in the backfield and avoid pass rushers in order to buy enough time to make a spectacular throw. However, the Divisional matchup showcased that Mahomes’ limited mobility made this aspect of his game impossible to reproduce following his injury. Luckily, his game isn’t entirely dependent on evading pressure and extending the play as he is the deadliest quarterback in the league when throwing from a clean pocket.

Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. had his struggles early in the season. Though he has improved as of late, he has still shown that he is extremely susceptible to speed rushers simply out-maneuvering him and causing havoc in the backfield. Brown could not block against Arden Key’s speed rush that led to Mahomes’ injury.

In the past three matchups against the Bengals, they have been able to get pressure on Mahomes with only three or four linemen as the rest of the defense drops back into coverage. If given a clean pocket, Mahomes won’t have to rely on his maneuverability and can instead make quick throws and rely on his pass catchers racking up yards after the catch. However, the key to the successful implementation of this relies on Brown being able to hold his own if only for a couple of seconds. Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson has had the upper hand on Brown during their first meetings, making Brown’s reps against him this Sunday pivotal for Mahomes to move the ball down the field.

If Brown can show out and hold down Mahomes’ blind side, the Chief’s offense will have every opportunity to move the ball efficiently and put up points as they are accustomed. Orlando Brown Jr. has been asking to get paid top left tackle money, and a dominant performance against the Bengals would go a long way in securing his bag.